Few men have literally been blown out of the sky and lived to tell about it. If you can call being starved, beaten and otherwise tortured living. But not only did Phil Butler survive, he came out of the experience a new man…a war hero, a loving husband, a warrior for peace and justice. Now he is telling his story, a compelling tale about becoming a warrior, from the seeds of his childhood in Oklahoma, the tempering of his character as a POW for 2855 days and nights, and his conscious growth when he returned to the United States. Phil Butler’s story is not only interesting, it is instructive; he defines a path for the willing and the courageous. No, a man – or a woman – doesn’t have to be tortured to be a warrior and it doesn’t even always help. But most people who would evolve to that higher level do so after confronting great demons and daunting tasks. Phil Butler’s account of his journey is part road map, part history, and always an engaging tale.
The Shoot Down, Evasion, Attempted Rescue and Capture of Jackel-33B
On 22 December 1972, an F-111 call sign Jackel 33 was flying a night strike mission over North Vietnam. Jackel 33 was manned by its pilot, Captain Bob Sponeybarger and its Weapons System Operation, 1stLt William (Bill) Wilson. Jackel 33’s assigned targets were the river docks in the middle of
