THE WALL OF FACES

Never forget getting my letter to Glenn returned with DOW on the letter, while also serving in Vietnam. Miss him, we had great plans.

On November 27, 1967, a U.S. Army OH-13S helicopter (#64-15422) from Headquarters & Headquarters Company (HHC), 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division was flying northwest of Di An in Binh Duong Province, RVN, during a search for a missing aircraft when it sustained a control failure and crashed and burned. Both the pilot, WO Glenn C Hopes, and his passenger, LTC Robert H. Gross, were critically burned. Hopes was medically evacuated to the burn center at Brooke General Hospital at Fort Sam Houston, TX, with burns over 51% of his body. Thirty-two days after being injured, he succumbed to burn wound infection on December 29, 1967. Gross was evacuated to the burn center at the U.S. Army’s 106th General Hospital in Yokohama, Japan, with burns over 60% of his body. He expired December 10, 1967. [Taken from vhpa.org]

Some may think you are forgotten
Though on earth you are no more
But in our memory you are with us
As you always were before….

Glenn and I attended language school in Monterey CA. and became best friends. We had plans of starting a business together. I arrived in Vietnam before him from Infantry OCS. Wrote a letter to Glenn and received it back with large lettering DOW. Devastating. I still think of Glenn often. He was a great guy and a pretty good pool player.

Dear WO Glenn Hopes, Thank you for your service as an Utility & Light Cargo Single Rotor Helicopter Pilot. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.