THE WALL OF FACES

Never Forget.

Semper Fortis

CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Gary Douglas Hopps,
United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a Pilot in Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE (VA-145), embarked in U.S.S. RANGER (CVA-61), during a reprisal attack against a vital North Vietnamese communications link consisting of a highway bridge and an overpass over a road junction, on 10 February 1966. As a member of a three-plane flight, Lieutenant Hopps carried out bold and aggressive attacks in the face of intense enemy anti-aircraft fire, scoring direct hits on the bridge with his two 500-pound bombs and direct hits on the overpass and road junction with the remainder of his bombs. Lieutenant Hopps' aircraft was last seen enveloped in enemy anti-aircraft fire, after which it crashed and disintegrated on impact in the immediate vicinity of the target area. Through his determined and heroic efforts, he contributed materially to the effort of the United States in the Vietnam conflict at the cost of his life.

Dear Lt Gary Hopps, Thank you for your service as an Unrestricted Line Officer - Pilot, from the USS RANGER. You are still MIA. Please come home. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

On February 10, 1966, a U.S. Navy Douglas A-1H Skyraider (#137627) from Attack Squadron 145 (VA-145) aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CVA-61) was shot down by anti-aircraft fire between the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and Dong Hoi, Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam. The pilot, LT Gary D. Hopps, was reportedly attacking a road bridge when his aircraft slammed into the ground. It was surmised that Hopps may have been wounded by the groundfire which prevented him from ejecting. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and the books “U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Aircraft Damaged or Destroyed During the Vietnam War” by Douglas E. Campbell and “U.S. Navy A-1 Skyraider Units of the Vietnam War” by Rick Burgess and Zip Rausa]

Lieutenant Gary Douglas Hopps, Served with Attack Squadron 145 (VA-145), Carrier Air Wing 14 (CVW-14), USS Ranger, Task Force 77 (TF-77), 7th Fleet.