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August 1, 1945 - January 3, 1970
Captain, Helicopter Pilot D TRP, 3rd SQDN, 5th Cavalry, 1st Aviation BDE, USARV
Army of the United States
Stewart Moody was one of two young Claremont men who died in the Vietnam War. After graduation from CHS, Stewart attended Claremont Men's College on an ROTC scholarship. He was a second-generation Army officer who served in the 1st Aviation Brigade and went down with his helicopter January 3, 1970, at the age of 24. Stew loved the Army, flying and helicopters. He was an aircraft maintenance officer (pilot) who had the huge responsibility of testing and certifying repaired copters for operational use. One day his luck ran out when the helicopter he was testing failed and crashed in Sa Dec Province, South Vietnam. He died serving his country and safe-guarding the lives of the men who would have flown in that copter.
You can see his information on the virtual Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall:
http://www.virtualwall.org/dm/MoodySR01a.htm
Wall of FACES
http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/34761/STEWART-R-MOODY
~ Progress Bulletin - Jan 8, 1970
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Daniel Schafer (1963)
Stew, I enjoyed knowing you at CHS. You are a hero to me and will not be forgotten. Semper Fi, Dan Schafer
Phillips Lacy (1963)
Stew as a friend and teammate on the basketball team. Accordint to Eska Larson the girls said the Stew had the best looking legs on the team. He was a good friend.
Douglas Rosenow (1965)
Captain, we never met, as you were two Classes my senior. I well recall that my tour with 5th Marines was half-finished when my mother's letter enclosed the news clipping, here republished. Two months earlier (on this very date, in fact), an Army HUEY gunship had dropped into a "hot" LZ to med-evac my posterior to the sickbay in Danang. That took three brass ones--and I have ever since had nothing but the greatest respect for Doggie chopper drivers. (Not all Doggies, mind you--but you pilot people were/are the best of the best.) Belatedly, thank you for your service and your family's supreme sacrifice. Our world is the lesser for your loss, Sir. OOO-rah, and Semper Fi.
Appreciatively and respectfully, Doug Rosenow (Wolfpack '65)
Roderick Colhoun Johnson (1973)
Only recently did I learn Stewart was related to my good friends the Ranyards. Redge and Jan (nee Robbins, CHS '39, I think; 2 yrs behind my dad who knew her) Ranyard and their four kids--John, Nancy, Bruce, and Carol-- used to live on Berkeley and Harrison. When I visited the Wall in D.C. (Nov. or Dec. 77) I looked him up, knowing that he was from Claremont and probably knew my cousins, especially since their last names were Stewart. Well, I've got twenty years in the Army reserves, seven hundred hours and plenty of licenses as a pilot, and probably a friend I never got to meet. I can only hope somehow the world benefitted from his sacrifice despite our defeat. I hear the Hanoi government is still not sitting well in a city most persist in calling Saigon. At least Redge, Jan, and Carol have been here in Eugene.
At slow step... Forward...March!
Present....Arms!
Order....Arms!