This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SGT David O Olsen
to remember
Hohman, John Michael, CW2.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Lakeland
Last Address Lakeland
Casualty Date May 31, 1969
Cause KIA-Died of Wounds
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Land
Location Binh Duong (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Evergreen Cemetery - Leonminster, Massachusetts
John Hohman was beginning his second tour as I was in the middle of my 1st and only. I was on my way to Vung Tau for Cobra transition when John came into the 3/4 Cavalry. John was 2nd tour guy. Are you kidding me! He survived flying slicks and then came back as a scout pilot, which was the most dangerous flying duty in the Nam. After my two week transition I returned to Ch Chi base camp and was told that John has been killed! Are you shi..... me! He was too good to be dead. What we heard in the unit is that his crew chief was shot and dropped a grenade inside the OH-6A and John went down in a ball of flames. He succumbed to his burns the next day. Now, he is a name on a list. A name on a black wall that few will know or care about. But, Hohman, I still remember you! You will always be with me.
James Vaughn m191111@hotmail.com
Nam Brother
665 Clearview Dr. Madisonville KY 42431 United States
John I will gather with some of your other Nam Brothers this next week. We will remember you as we always do. Fish, Buck, Gerald & I will have you in our hearts. You have gone on ahead of us walking point...we will join you one day & we will have eternity to share. I'm sure you have teaching the Angels how to fly close to the ground...no one better than you.
Oct 16, 2008
Manuel Pino 2/8 Bco 1st Cav-68-69 mpjr54@msn.com
Fellow Vietnam Army Vet
D/3/4 Cav
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings, Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds and done a hundred things. You have not dreamed of wheeled and soared and swung, high in the sunlit silence, hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long delirious, burning blue I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace, where never lark, or even eagle flew, and, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space, put out my hand and touched the face of God. By John G. Magee, Jr.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Mike Vaughn m191111@hotmail.com
I served with John in Vietnam
665 Clearview Dr.
Madisonville, Kentucky 42431 USA
John was a very good pilot & you always knew he would get you home if anyone could. He will always be remembered by those that were fortunate enough to have served with him. He was a true "American Hero" Mike Vaughn Crew Cheif D Trp., 4th Cav., 25th Inf. Div. Cu Chi, Vietnam 1966-67
Sunday, February 23, 2003
Mike Vaughn m191111@hotmail.com
I served with John in Vietnam
665 Clearview Dr.
Madisonville, Kentucky 42431 USA
Anyone remember WO John Hohman.slick driver 1967.KIA 1969. Mike Vaughn Mike, I believe I remember John. If I am thinking of the right person, he came to the unit from Fort Rucker of Hunter -Stewart where he had been a slick SIP. As I recall he had been married fairly recently and only had months left in the Army and was sent back to Viet Nam. He sat in my room one evening and told me about this. He was a scout pilot and was lost in the spring of '69. He was shot down someplace up around the mushroom. He went down on fire and when they picked him up they said he had most of his clothes burned off and only had his belt and boots left. (They did not have nomex flight suits his size.) He lived a short period of time but didn't make it. He was a nice guy and it was really a sad deal. I can't remember if he came in OH-6 qualified or if I qualified him in the aircraft. I think he was qualified but I am not certain of that. I qualified a lot of people that year. I think I have a picture of him. The picture I have shows him sitting on a cot and reading "Pilot" magazine. The picture is not labeled but I think that's who it is and what his name was. And telling you this I really hope I have the right person. Thanks, Bruce Karn Centaur 13 June '68 to June '69. Mike, Holman was flying in what we called Loach Alley on the 30th of May, with crew chief Hayes, and a PIO (Public Information Officer) from squadron, when his ship came under fire. The ship caught fire and went down, and all were badly burned. Hayes died from his burns that day. Holman had 2nd/3rd degree burns over 80% of his body, and bullet wounds, and died the next day. The PIO had 55% burns, but I do not know what eventually happened to him. The slicks that went in to get our guys also came under fire. They restricted flying low level in that area for a while after that. Jim PS - This is what they have about John on the VN Wall web page û JOHN MICHAEL HOHMAN CWO - W2 - Army - Reserve 22 year old Married, Caucasian, Male Born on Jan 29, 1947 From LAKELAND, FLORIDA Length of service 3 years. His tour of duty began on Mar 10, 1969 Casualty was on May 31, 1969 in BINH DUONG, SOUTH VIETNAM Hostile, died of wounds HELICOPTER - CREW AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND Body was recovered Religion BAPTIST Panel 23W - - Line 27 I remember John well. When he got to VN he only had about 6 months left in the Army. He did not want to be there for his second tour because he had recently married. Why the Army sent him with just 6 months left we'll never know. I think the other fellow Hayes was a recently arrived WO fresh out of flight school who was flying with John as door gunner to learn the ropes from the experienced pilot. They are both immortalized in the Life Magazine from June or July which showed all servicemen who were killed that particular week. It is a very sobering statement from a very turbulent time in American history. I was on R&R with my wife that week and remember well being picked up at Long Bihn and learning of this tragic loss. When I got back to Cu Chi the pilots and crewmembers of the Scout platoon were very upset about having to still fly in Loach Alley. I told Major Laird that I couldn't in good conscious keep sending people into an area where you were almost guaranteed to be shot at. What was the point? Our job was to find the enemy and identify his location. We had done that. Now send in the troops and wipe them out. We had already B52'd the area into the stone age. Laird was not happy with me or the Scouts but the higher ups eventually decided to briefly suspend Scout missions in Loach Alley. By the way there was a reason they named this riverbed Loach Alley. Jerry Odom Scout Platoon Leader at the time P.S/ I just found the information on "Hayes". His name is Thomas Earl Hays (no e) and he was a Warrent Officer. Jim, Thank you for your kind response.what a tragic end to the lives of those fine young men. Thanks again.God bless. Mike V. Hey Jerry, Thanks for the clarification on Hays. I had the basic info in my diary, but the name "Hayes" didn't ring a bell for me (that isn't such an uncommon situation over the last few years!), so I assumed he must have been a new CC or observer. I did have in my diary how we (scout crews) were up in arms about it. How they should never have sent the LOH into that area with that crew. Turley and Matthews got hosed down in the Alley on the 29th, the same day T-berry and Evans got hosed in the Michelin. On the 26th, Turley, Taylor, and myself flew dusk patrol in the Hobo area, and got hosed and hit. A 47 round came through the bubble on Turley's side, and hit the radio between Turley and myself. That round also hit one of my expended 60 round casings lying next to the radio, which was thrown up and smacked me in the ass. I thought I'd been hit for sure. It packed a hell of a wallop for a pinball. Turley and I both got some bubble fragments embedded in our right arms. Cheap PHs. April and May '69 were bad days for Scouts. What's the story on how Loach Alley got its name? Best, Jim PS, I also apologize for getting John's name wrong in my previous post. I had it as Holman in my diary, and kept writing it that way even when I now knew it was Hohman. I remember John Hohman was new in the troop in april Fist Lt Odom took me out then John and later mr. Evans. That day I remember Mr. Homan was taking out a new warrant Mr. Hayes who we had just met,for some reason they took a information person with them instead of ce or gunner. I was on the flight line when the scramble siren went off. Capt Sinclair was motioning me to get in his Cobra , I did but did not have my helmet. We circled the aircraft they said two were dead but Mr. Hohman was up and about ,I thought he would be alright. He died later. there was alot of grumbling about incident from most of us. Jim Kreil ce
Sunday, February 23, 2003
Lynn Combs
Cousin
You are not forgotten.
Tuesday, September 03, 2002
Not forgotten
John, Although we never met, I just want you to know you are not forgotten. You gave the ultimate sacrifice, your life for what you believed in. Sleep well my friend, and thank you for protecting our freedoms