Hodges, Joseph, SGT

Fallen

Photo In Uniform

Service Details

Final Rank
Sergeant

Last Service Branch
Infantry

Last MOS
11B10-Infantryman

Last MOS Group
Infantry

Primary Unit
1968-1968, 11B10, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry

Service Years
1967 - 1968

Last Photo

Personal Details

Home State

Georgia

Year of Birth
1946

This Military Service Page was created/owned by SP 6 Gary McJimsey to remember Hodges, Joseph, SGT.

If you knew or served with this Soldier and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.

Casualty Info

Home Town Midville	Last Address Midville, Georgia

Casualty Date Jul 03, 1968
Cause KIA-Killed in Action	Reason Air Loss, Crash - Land
Location Long An (Vietnam)	Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Cross and Green Cemetery - Colemans Lake, Georgia	Wall/Plot Coordinates 54W 042

Official Badges

Unofficial Badges

Military Associations and Other Affiliations


	2012, Vietnam Veterans Memorial - Assoc. Page

Photo Album (More...)

In Service

Hodges_Joseph SP4 VN...

Ribbon Bar

Unit Assignments


	1968-1968, 11B10, 2nd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division
	1968-1968, 11B10, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry

Combat and Non-Combat Operations


	1967-1968 Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase III Campaign (1967-68)
	1968-1968 Vietnam War/Tet Counteroffensive Campaign (1968)
	1968-1968 Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase IV Campaign (1968)
	1968-1968 Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase V Campaign (1968)

Other News, Events and Photographs


	Oct 28, 2013, Other Photos

Additional Information

Last Known Activity:

Date of Birth April 24, 1946

Single (Never Married)

Baptist

African America

Father - Warren Hodges, Midville, Georgia

Selective Service – Drafted

About one year military service.

Started Vietnam Tour of Duty January 29, 1968

Died in helicopter crash as result of hostile automatic weapons fire that raked the aircraft, causing it to crash into a portion of the Song Van Co Dong River. Hodges was a non-crew member on this flight with LTC Frederick French Van Deusen, Battalion Commander of the 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. The Battalion was on combat operations near Ben Luc, RVN.

Seven month overseas duty.

Age at death 22

Comments/Citation:

Information on The Helicopter:

July 3, 1968

The Aircraft:

Helicopter UH-1D

Tail Number 64-13854

Unit: 240th Assault Helicopter Company

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1D

Tail number 64-13854

The Army purchased this helicopter November 1965

Total flight hours at this point: 00002103

Date of Loss: 07/03/1968

Incident number: 68070399.KIA

Unit: 240th Assault Helicopter Company

South Vietnam

UTM grid coordinates: XS628710

Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated:

Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database.
OPERA (Operations Report.

Summary: Crashed in the Vam Co Dong River 3 miles south of Ben Luc Bridge. Helicopter Loss to Inventory

Casualties:

Pilots: Names and status unknown.

Crew Members:

G SP4 BELLINGER, RONALD LEE KIA [Gunner on Flight – Huey Repairman 240th AHC] ATWS Fallen #39928 http://army.togetherweserved.com/profile/39928
CE SP4 HOLTON, GARY DENNIS KIA [Acting Crew Chief for Flight 240th AHC] ATWS Fallen #53402 http://army.togetherweserved.com/profile/53402
OB 1LT LAMB, COLIN EDWARD KIA [Observer – HHB 1/11 Artillery] ATWS #56915 http://army.togetherweserved.com/profile/56915

Passengers and/or other participants:

SP4 DAVINO, THOMAS ALPHONSE, AR, PX, KIA. ATWS Fallen #45568 http://army.togetherweserved.com/profile/45568
SGT HODGES, JOSEPH, AR, PX, KIA. ATWS Fallen #53136 http://army.togetherweserved.com/profile/53136
LTC VAN DEUSEN, FREDERICK FREN, AR, PX, KIA [Battalion Commanding Officer – 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division, RVN 1968]. ATWS Fallen #5408 http://army.togetherweserved.com/profile/72525
SGT WHITNEY, PHILIP LEONARD, AR, PX, KIA. ATWS Fallen #74196 http://army.togetherweserved.com/profile/74196

Pilots:

Unknown and they may have survived the crash the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association did not have any information on either pilot.

The Incident:

From:

Find A Grave Web Site:

LTC Van Deusen had been in Vietnam since April 1968. Three weeks prior [prior to July 3, 1968] he took command of the 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, US Army 9th Infantry.

On 3 July 1968 some of his men fought Viet Cong estimated at platoon strength 18 miles southwest of Saigon near the border of Go Cong and Long An provinces. Twenty four enemy soldiers [Viet Cong or NVA] were reported killed with no US losses. Van Deusen and 9 others were in the helicopter taking a last look at the battle site when the helicopter was fired upon.

A newsman at the battle site said other officers (on the ground) reported Van Deusen shouted into his radio just before the crash, "We're being shot at from the river bank. He's using an AK-47”.

Note: The information from the web site Find A Grave is unverified. There is a difference in the number of causalities in the crash of this helicopter. The Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association which maintains the most complete records of all US Helicopter incidents during the Vietnam War era states seven casualties including LTC Van Deusen. If the two pilots were killed in the crash the total would then be nine.