Richard (Butch) Leo Brech was born in Kadoka, South
Dakota, on February 10, 1948, to Delmar Leo and Minnie
Lorene (Peterson) Brech. He had four sisters: Nadine, Judy,
Norma, and Barbara, and two brothers, Scott and Darrel.
Richard was interested in mechanics and all types of sports.
He grew up on the family farm and loved the animals. A
special pet of Richard’s was the family dog Blacky. Before
Richard graduated from Philip High School in 1966, he gave
his youngest brother Scott a puppy. This was the first pet
allowed in the house. After high school, Richard attended
college in Denver for one year.
Richard Brech entered the Army on April 17, 1968 at Sioux
Falls, South Dakota. He completed basic training at Fort
Lewis, Washington, and was also stationed at Fort Ord,
California, and Fort Hood, Texas. Sp 4 Brech arrived in
Vietnam on March 25, 1969, and was assigned to B Troop, 2nd
Squadron, 17th Air Cavalry, 101st Airborne Division.
Specialist Richard Leo Brech was killed in action in
Vietnam on Hill 376, southwest of Tam Ky in Quang Tin
Province on June 2nd, 1969, in Operation Lamar Plain when
hostile forces were encountered. Richard Leo Brech
posthumously received the Bronze Star Medal with “V” (his
second award) for his courage while fighting in Vietnam. The
citation for the Bronze Star reads, in part:
Specialist Brech distinguished himself
while serving as a radio telephone operator in troop B,
2d Squadron, 17th Cavalry, on a combat mission near the
city of Hue, Republic of Vietnam. As the lead element of
his infantry unit moved toward the enemy position, it
came under heavy automatic weapons fire. Three of
specialist Brech’s comrades fell severely wounded. In an
attempt to help them, he moved toward the area where
they were hit. He immediately was pinned down, but
managed to spot the enemy positions and relay the
information back to his platoon leader. When the
remainder of the squad maneuvered to flank the enemy
position, Specialist Brech continued to identify the
position of the insurgents. He then moved to the side of
his fallen comrades under a base of protective fire from
his platoon. As he approached the casualties, he
immediately relayed their conditions back to the platoon
leader. At this time, he again came under fire and fell
mortally wounded. Specialist Brech’s personal bravery
and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest
traditions of the military service and reflect great
credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States
Army.
Specialist Brech also received the Purple Heart, the Good
Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Ribbon, the
Vietnam Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star, the
Vietnam Campaign Ribbon, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Burial services were held on June 16, 1969, with
interment in the Philip Masonic Cemetery in Philip, South
Dakota. Sp 4 Richard Brech’s name can be found on Panel 23W,
Line 042 of the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Wall in
Washington, D.C.
A close friend and fellow soldier wrote the following
words to the family of Sp 4 Brech:
…They say only the good die young…In
my mind Butch was as good as they come. I dare say he
was one of the finest men and best friend I have ever
known. Friends are not easy to come by, and when you
find one like Rich they’re even harder to part with. He
left me with a lot of good memories and a friendship
that will always be…
Morgan Finley, 7th grade, Stanley County Middle School,
Fort Pierre, South Dakota, May 15, 2005, respectfully
submitted this profile. Specialist Brech’s sisters, Norma
Schilling, Fort Pierre, South Dakota, Nadine Kasper, Grand
Junction, Colorado, his mother, Minnie Brech, Philip, South
Dakota, and two comrades in arms, Roger Ables, and J.R.
Baltazar provided information.
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Dedication Promotional Video
