Hugh Buzzell

Autobiography of H.L. (Buzz) Buzzell

In 1955 at age fifteen I managed to enlist in the military. I spent twenty-three years in the military and retired in 1978.

Most of my military career was spent flying as a fight engineer, mostly on helicopters. I was wounded three times in The Republic of Viet Nam in 1968n and among many awards earned are, The Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, 3 Purple Hearts, 16 Air Medals, 3 Army Commendation Medals—2 with “V” Devices, and the South Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star.

I was a US Army recruiter for over 3 years and gave many talks to high school seniors in the East Providence, Warren, Bristle, and Barrington areas of the State of Rhode Island.

Prior on going on to recruiting duty, I spent time assigned to Ft. Walters, in Mineral Wells, TX, the then Home of the Primary Helicopter Flight School where soldiers learned to fly and then were promoted to Warrant Officers unless they were Officers upon entry to the flight school. While there I was assigned to the Junior Non-Commissioned Officers Academy and taught Leadership, Methods of Instructions, and Race-Relations.

During my last 4 years in the Army, I became a reserve police officer for the Killeen, TX Police Department. After a tour in Korea, I then became a reserve officer with the Nolanville, TX Police Department until my retirement from the military.

During my thirteen-month tour of duty in Korea, due to having FAA Aircraft and Power Plant repair License, I taught basic Aircraft Maintenance for Los Angeles Community College where students were able to acquire college credits toward a degree.

In mid 1978 after retiring from the military, I became a peace officer of Midland County, TX Sheriffs Office. I started as a patrol officer, attained the rank of captain, and was in charge of the Criminal Warrant and Fugitive Division that included the Civil Actions Division.

A good friend was elected as the Midland County Constable and after several months of asking me, I resigned from the Sheriff’s Office and became a deputy Constable. The Constable in Texas has county wide Jurisdiction for civil actions and statewide jurisdiction for criminal actions. That basically means I could go to the next county and arrest a person for running a red light but had to wait for him to come back to Midland County to tell him he was being sued.

After my constable friend retired, I became the assistant director of security and safety for the Midland Memorial Hospital. That duty included my being the body guard for little Jessica McClure and her family after she was rescued from the well in Midland, Texas.

I then went to work at American Embassy’s worldwide as a contractor doing security work. I continued this work until my wife in Tbilisi, The Republic of Georgia, one of the former Soviet Union Countries, in 1995.

While working overseas I was assigned to South Africa and was there when Nelson Mandela was released from prison and had the privilege of being introduced to him, I was in Yugoslavia until 3 days AFTER the wars there started, I was assigned to Prague, The Czech Republic when Shirley Temple Black was the ambassador and got to know her and her husband, along with many wonderful people from all over the world.

I then retired to Texas in mid 1995 and became a Stanton, TX city police officer until my health forced my retirement in 2003.

I became the Emergency management Coordinator for Martin County and the City of Stanton, Texas after my retirement and continued in the capacity as a volunteer worker due to being assessed as 100% disabled until I moved to Lake Wales, FL in 2008 to be close to my parents living in St. Petersburg, FL.

During my time with the Midland County Sheriff’s Office and on to my duties as a Deputy Constable for Midland County, I was an instructor at the Permian Basin Police Academy. I also taught law enforcement classiest Midland College.

I hold an AAS in Law Enforcement from Midland College and I hold a State of Texas Master Peace Officers Certificate.

I was the School Resource Officer for the Stanton Independent School District for 3 years and had students from pre-school through high school. This duty called for me to give various classed to all grades in the school system on many different topics for children of all ages several times a week.

I Instructed DARE Classes for the fifth grade in Stanton for several years. I also filled in for the next-door DARE instructor for Glasscock County School District, for the sixth grade for a year when the Texas Department of Public Safety Officer teaching it there was called to active duty in the US Air Force Reserves.

I have given many various classes as an Emergency Management Coordinator of the City of Stanton, Martin County, the State of Texas, and the FEMA Branch of the US government.

January 9, 1940, Hugh Lillo Buzzell was born to the late Avon W. And Ursel E. Buzzell in Portland, Maine. He was raised in Maine until he joined the United States Air Force in 1955. He served for 8 years and transferred to the United States Army, where he served in Viet Nam. During his 23 1/2 years of service, Hugh received many awards and citations, among them, the Bronze Star, 3 Purple Hearts, and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was with the 1st AVN DET (ACH-47), Guns A Go Go in 1968, and was the last Flight Engineer on the lone surviving ACH-47, Easy Money, which sits proudly in the US Army Aviation Museum, Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama. He was a part of aviation history, but would heap praise on those he served with, while remaining humble about his own accomplishments. He retired in 1978 to become a full-time peace officer in West Texas.

Hugh worked in law enforcement in Midland, Texas, serving his community and fellow officers with honor, courage, and always had a way of making everyone feel safe, but the bad guy. Hugh also served as a security specialist, serving in various countries throughout the ‘90s, including embassies. He served in Santiago, Prague, Belgrade, Sidney, and Moscow, and it was in Tiblisi, Georgia that he met Khatuna, his wife of 22 years. Hugh retired from the Stanton Police Department, Stanton, Texas in 2004.

At 6’ 9 ½ “ tall, “Buzz” truly was larger than life and lived an extraordinary adventure. His sense of humor was pure gold, and his jokes and laughter resonate in all who knew him. His sense of duty was admirable, his courage during the tough times was inspirational, and his great capacity to love will live on in all who knew him. He would not have wanted sadness or mourning on his behalf, rather, he would want us to laugh, love, and help each other… and so we will.

Hugh is in the loving arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and his parents Avon and Ursel. He is survived by brothers Avon and Sidney, and his sister Sandra, his Children Kimberly, Cindy, Billy, Charlene, Nino, Sopiko, 12 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren and his loving wife Khatuna.

No services are scheduled at this time.