William “Bill” Briot, resident of Tillamook, passed away at RiverBend Hospital in Springfield on December 12, 2012 at the age of 82. Bill was born in Portland on October 13, 1930 to William and Mabel (Steffen) Briot.
Bill attended schools in Vernonia and Portland, and graduated from Franklin High School in 1948. He was graduated from the University of Oregon in 1953 with a degree in Health & Physical Education and was in the ROTC.
Bill began his military career with the U.S. Army in 1953 as a member of the Medical Service Corps. Within two years he had trained to be a helicopter pilot, following which he became a flight instructor in several helicopter training disciplines. Bill served one year in Vietnam as a Medevac Pilot. His dedication to service and saving lives earned Bill a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Army Commendation Medal and 18 Air Medals.
Upon retirement from the Army in 1973, Bill worked as an Executive Officer for the Lane County Home Builders’ Association, until 1980.
In later years, Bill was a performer in stage shows at the Tillamook Association for the Performing Arts. He was a lifetime member of the Dustoff Association, an organization for those who served in the U.S. Army in Medevac.