Kyle and David Buchholz tandem jump | | Celebrating the Life of David Richard Buchholz will be held August 16, 2025, 4 PM at Skydive Ogden, 3463 Airport Road, Ogden, UT. Details linked below. | | By Kyle Buchholz, David's son... | | |
“That others may live”. That is the Pararescue motto that my father lived his whole life by. He was and still is my guide. My teacher. My best friend. Someone I could talk too high or low. We talked when I lost friends over the years or when I called to tell him that Alex and I were having a baby or just to say hi and see how the day was going. I could talk to him about anything.
He was my inspiration for adventure.
His early years he would travel from Wisconsin to Canada to become a fishing guide at the age of 15 while working with the Chippewa tribe. This was his first taste of adventure.
Eventually he would work in his local hospital where one of the doctors told him if he enlisted in the military he could get paid to learn the things he wanted to learn in the medical field. He always loved the medical field.
That’s when, through time, he enlisted and worked his way through PJ (Pararescue) school and became a PJ. This is what he was most proud of.
He was sent to Vietnam which would leave a profound impact on his life forever.
He worked with NASA as part of the Shuttle recovery team.
He was on the presidential protection team for President Jimmy Carter in the Middle East.
Afterwards he worked as one of the first Paramedics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
These were just a few of his stories, places and adventures. Some he would talk about and some he wouldn’t. But it was always funny to me because I would get ahold of him wherever I was in the world and he would say “Oh yeah I was there in 19 something doing this or that……” he experienced a lot in his lifetime.
Like I said earlier, a big pride was Pararescue but I think his biggest and what he was most proud of was his granddaughters. He was so happy to make it to the age where he could see little Bodhi and Flynn grow and share their little smiles and laughter. His favorite was to take them to the local ice cream shop and get them all sugared up before dinner. “Haha. I’m laughing now Dad”.
In the end small cell lung cancer is what got him. Which came on unbelievably fast and unexpected. After being diagnosed only 1 1/2 week prior, he passed. So like they say, Cancer Sucks.
He loved so many people and would give anyone the shirt off his back or the shoes off his feet (even when it was snowing) if that meant he could help you. I write this because I am so very proud of him as he was of me and my family. I love him more than words and I miss you Dad.
“The glass is Half full.”
He always made sure I knew that.
David Richard Buchholz
1952 -2025
| | By Cliff Adock, Class 72-08 | |
I first met Dave Buchholz in July 1971 at Lackland AFB when I went to PJ selection that was, at that time, being held at Lackland. After 6 weeks of running, swimming and PT we became PJ Class 72-08 and entered the "pipeline." For the next 8 months "Buchholz" and I were teammates. We went through conditioning, med school, aircrew survival school, jump school, SCUBA school and finally what was called "transition school" located at Hill AFB, Utah.
When we arrived at Hill AFB, we were basically what remained of PJ Class 72-08, a motley crew. Bryant, Bucholz, Farrari, Sugg, Laferriere, Picard, and myself. Through this training process friendships had been forged that would last a lifetime. Within the last couple of years, I have been reunited with Bryant, Buchholz and Sugg through the amazing wonders of modern-day social media.
The first to resurface was Buchholz. I guess about 6-7 years ago my wife, and I went out to Snowbasin for some skiing. I had not been to Snowbasin since March 1972. When I went up to the "refreshment" counter to get refreshed I happened to be wearing a Pararescue tee shirt. The young lady waiting on me ask if I had been in Pararescue. When I told her yes, she ask me if I knew Dave Buchholz. She is married to Dave's son. She said Dave lived in the local area, so I gave her my phone number to give to Dave. I think it was that night I received a call from my old buddy Buchholz. I had not seen Buchholz since March 1972, almost 50 years. We arranged a meeting at one of the local restaurants called the Oakes.
We have been getting together every year for the last 5 years when Ellen & I traveled out to Snowbasin to ski. Dave never complained about his health issues. Even though he had some mobility issues, he would go to PT and never complain. I would ask him how he's doing, and I always got the same answer; "It is what it is."
One final note here. When we were at Hill AFB going through transition training, we were given the infamous "dream sheet" to fill out in reference to where we would like our first assignment to be. Most of us wanted to get an assignment to one of the Air Rescue units in SEA. Not Buchholz. I think he wanted to go somewhere like Alaska to utilize his mountain rescue skills. When the orders came down Buchholz got Vietnam, and I got Hawaii. I will miss you, Buchholz. RIP my brother.
| | Tommy is in the VA Hospital | | |
Tommy Miles fell early Thursday morning hitting his head, He developed a small brain bleed. Then he developed pneumonia in a lung, they both lungs.
Tommy is resting at the VA Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin with a head injury and pneumonia. He's taking calls. Call or text his cell at 480-818-3277. Carol, Tommy's wife's cell number is 715-891-0767
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I am collecting photos of all PJs (those with us and those who have passed) in uniform for an online album and for historical purposes. Email me your photos with names of those pictured with 'PJ Photos' in the subject line. Even if you cross-trained or switched services, send me your photos. Team photo are welcome too. I'll cleanup and optimize the photos as needed. I need names of those in the photos. Thank you.
I will add photos as I receive them. There may be a week or two process time. Send as many as you want. Email them to me at Jim@Morris.net with "PJ Photo" in the subject line. Thank you.
| | It's Not Just for Widows Anymore | |
Bob Hope Village, a.k.a., Air Force Enlisted Village is a 501c3 nonprofit retirement community for retired married enlisted Airmen and widows of Airman.
Military families understand the life of service. You dress sharp, you report on time, and you stay ready to deploy on a moment’s notice - all for the country you love and the people that you care about. When retirement comes, you and your family have earned the chance to pass the torch, kick back and enjoy the lifestyle of retirement along the beautiful Florida coast. As a not-for-profit retirement community, Air Force Enlisted Village offers a proud and patriotic retirement lifestyle for veterans and surviving spouses.
Nestled along the beautiful Emerald Coast of northwest Florida in Shalimar, it is an active, friendly, fun-filled retirement community, giving you a worry-free lifestyle in a fantastic location within earshot of Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field. From independent living unit to assisted living and memory support, it give military families the easy-breezy retirement you’ve earned.
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Victory Village is a 501c3 nonprofit veteran senior living community with resources and services tailored to meet the financial, physical, mental, spiritual, and social needs of its residents. This blended community will be comprised of wounded warriors and their caregivers, the surviving spouses of retired enlisted Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Guardians, and retired enlisted couples.
To best care for our nation’s heroes and defenders - those who have sacrificed nearly everything, Victory Village will bridge the gap between medical and wellness needs. It’s our duty to ensure these aging service members receive complete support with a specialized continuum of care that will include the following services and amenities:
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- Multiple friendly communities and neighborhoods
- A multidenominational chapel that welcomes all faiths
- A community center with engaging events and activities
- An exercise center with a pool and fitness equipment
- Green spaces, walking paths and communal areas
- Innovative health and wellness services and therapies
- Concierge retail services and more
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A Tapestry of Diversity
Pararescuemen, Pararescue Airmen or PJs if you will, come from all walks of life, all backgrounds, all races and cultures, all 50 states and from some allied countries. PJs are United States Air Force Special Warfare Airmen who conduct personnel recovery and combat search and rescue operations missions for the U.S. military and its allies behind enemy lines, in hostel and contested areas around the world and in civilian communities.
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As highly trained special operators, PJs generally work in small teams or attached to SEAL teams, Army Ranger units and Army Special Forces A teams. PJs also supported NASA missions, and have recovered astronauts after reentry, and supported astronaut rescue and recovery from Space Shuttles emergency reentries and open water ditching.
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This is the official newsletter of the Pararescue Brotherhood. It is self funded, developed and published for the Pararescue Brotherhood by a retired PJ. It was developed to replace and fill the void left by the PJ AIG when its intent changed. This Newsletter is a nonpartisan, apolitical, non-bias, non self-serving and non self-promoting newsletter.
If you have something you'd like to share with others in the Newsletter, pass something onto the Brotherhood, share a special interest story, connect with a long-lost military Brother, promote a military event, etc., email me, the editor, at Jim@Morris.net with 'PJ Newsletter' in the subject line. All is subject to review.
Are you are a writer, artist, cartoonist, etc.? We will include your content subject to review. If you are a published author of something military related or something that beneficial to the community, send us the information for review and we will help you market it.
| | HooYah! Airborne! Rescue! | | |
Disclaimer: The visual appearance or written content in the newsletter does not imply an endorsement.
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