SGT. ROE HOPSON JR

Bravo Company

June 1st, 1970

A man is not dead until he is forgotten. Go in peace and remember you are not forgotten while I am still on patrol.

Email from: Bruce E Fogarty
Email address: BFogarty1@aol.com
Phone number: (609) 220-8801

Subject: Roe Hopson

Message: Sgt Roe Hopson was KIA on June 1st, 1970. Roe was assigned to Bravo Company. He was laid to rest in his family plot, on the side of a mountain i located in Milo, Kentucky.

Message from Bruce E Fogarty

A man is not dead until he is forgotten.

Go in peace Rodney and remember you are not forgotten while I am still on patrol.

Send in photos

SGT. ROE HOPSON JR

Bravo Company

1st Recon Battalion

R.I.P. ROE 

SGT. ROE HOPSON JR

Bravo Company

Birth: 12/25/1948

Passed away: 06/01/1970

From: Milo, Kentucky

February 01, 2021  at 5:33 PM

HE WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED
He will as always be remembered a friend.

SGT. J. McClain
vietnam 1969-1970

REMEMBERING AN AMERICAN HERO
Dear SGT Roe Hopson Jr, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir

Curt Carter

SGT ROE HOPSON
I will never forget you Hoppy, we had some good times and shared some bad. You always lit up a room when you came in with your Kentucky drawl. I think about you often. You epitomize the recon ethic and left some huge boots to fill. SEMPER FI my brother!

ALWAYS A FRIEND
I will always remember our school days and our brief time in CA before Nam.
Sgt. Glen Porter Cau Viet 69-70

I WILL NEVER FORGET


May you rest in peace, my friend. I will never forget you. SEMPER FI

SEMPER FI SERGEANT

He began his tour on July 11, 1969. Hopson had the rank of Sergeant. His military occupation or specialty was Rifleman.  Attached to 1st Marine Division, 1st Recon Battalion, Bravo Company.

Sergeant Hopson died along with three other Marines and a Navy corpsman. I was in a unit about a mile away when everything happened. .. One of the men who died that day, Rick Jergenson, was my best friend in the Corps. We had been through boot camp and all our training together. .. I never met Sergeant Hopson but I mourn his loss as just like I mourn all the heroes who never made it home. Until this day I had not seen a picture of him and I am grateful for that. .. However the unit he was with at the time of his death was not the 1st Marine Division. He was serving with Combined Action Platoon 2-4-2, 2nd Combined Action Group. A small detail but I feel I needed to mention it for accuracy. .. I appreciate your efforts to honor and remember those who gave their lives in service to their country. .. Sandy Wardlaw .. Amarillo Texas

Hoppy you were a good friend and 50 years later I still consider you a friend. .. Sgt JD McClain 1st Recon

Knew Sgt. Roe Hopson Jr. for only a few days as the Sgt.of our unit 2-4-2. He was a replaced for our former unit Sgt. Then God blessed me to come to know what a special sort of guy he was. .. Sgt. Roe Hopson was keenly intrested in his men and their welfare. We were together that afternoon. Sgt. Roe saved my life that afternoon. I don't mind saying I cried for days following that tradedy and his loss. .. I own him my life and a debt of gratitude which can never be repaid. Knew you all would want to know what a remarkable man he was. So sorry for your loss. .. God Bless You and God Bless Sgt.Roe Hopson always. .. L/Cpl Timothy Bray USMC

Comments and Tributes:

Rest Easy Marine 

You Are Not Forgotten
 
You are not forgotten.

Rest Easy Marine !!

 Thank you for your

service and sacrifice !

The Final

Inspection

The Marine stood and faced God, which must always come to pass.

He hoped his shoes were shining, just as brightly as his brass.

“Step forward now, Marine! How shall I deal with you?

Have you always turned the other cheek? To My Church have you been true?”

The Marine squared his shoulders and said, “no, Lord, I guess I ain't 

because those of us who carry guns, can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays, at times my talk was tough, 

and sometimes I've been violent, because the world is awfully rough._ But, I never took a penny, that wasn't mine to keep… _Though I worked a lot of overtime, when the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help, though at times I shook with fear.

And sometimes, God, forgive me, I've wept unmanly tears.


I know I don't deserve a place, among the people here.

They never wanted me around, except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord, it needn't be so grand.

I never expected or had too much, but if you don't, I'll understand.”


There was a silence all around the throne, where the saints had often trod.

As the Marine waited quietly, for the judgment of his God.

“Step forward now, you Marine. You've borne your burdens well. 

Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets, you've done your time in Hell.”


Semper Fidelis_

Thanks for stopping by today!

Floyd Ruggles, Membership Director & Webmaster

Too close to whisper..

one click for "yes",

two for "no"..
"Brothers of the Bush"

----------------------------
Recon..their name is
their honor..and nothing more
need be said..Recon
------------------------

Hopson Family Cemetery

Milo, Kentucky

Sergeant Roe Hopson Jr. was killed in action in South Vietnam Served in the United States Marine Corps.
Son of Roe Hopson, Sr. and Lilah James Hopson of Milo, Kentucky 

Lila James Hopson (Roe Jr. mother is buried at the Hopson Family Cemetery Click Here she passed away April 3rd, 1971 at the aged of 61–62.

Roe Hopson Sr. (Roe Jr. Father is buried at the  Hopson Family Cemetery Click Here he passed away May 11th, 1977 at the aged of 78.

If anyone knows where SGT. Roe Hopson Jr. is buried? I'll gladly put the Info on this webpage and the cemetery Info on this page on the web. Click Here Roe Jr. passed away June 1st, 1970 at the aged of 21.

POP-A-SMOKE

Click Here

HMM-262 COMMAND CHRONOLOGY - JUNE 1970
1 June 1970 - While on an Emergency Extract of a [1st] Division Recon Team, a team member stepped on a booby trap as he approached the aircraft. The resulting explosion severely damaged the aircraft causing it to crash in the zone. The aircraft commander was fatally injured and other crew members sustained minor injuries.

Submitted by: Alan H Barbour, Historian, USMC/Vietnam Helicopter Association, 20030826

PERSONAL NARRATIVE

On May 31, 1970 my recon team went out on patrol. I was not on patrol with my team that day due to an appointment. The team had a heavy engagement during the night with the Viet Cong. Cpl Roe Hopson took my position as Team Leader.

On June 1st, I was asked to take the mail bag up to our observation post located on Hill 200. I was on board Major Fitzgerald's helicopter that day. All Major Fitzgerald and his crew was suppose to do was drop me off for a few minutes so I could deliver the mail. As I was dropped off and heading up to the top of the observation post, Major Fitzgerald and his crew were alerted about an emergency extraction across the river on Charley Ridge to get Roe and the team. When I noticed the Major and his crew starting to take off I yelled to him that I was suppose to depart with him. He yelled back that he would be right back and waved to me with a thumbs up. I waved back with acknowledgment.

Then I ran to the top of the hill and talked with the radioman from Recon. That is when he told me that Major Fitzgerald was flying over to extract my team. As we were listening on the radio and I was looking over to the team's location, which seemed within a stones throw, all of a sudden I saw heavy smoke. I looked over to the radioman who I believe was Cpl Dana Zuber and asked him what was happening. He just looked at me.

Editor Comments:
Sgt Roe Hopson Jr, Team Leader of the Recon Team, was also KIA in this incident from multiple fragmentation wounds from the booby trap which exploded as he approached the LZ. The booby trap explosion caused the HMM-262 emergency extraction helicopter to crash and burn in the zone, killing the pilot and wounding the remaining crew (mostly burns).

Submitted by: Bruce E. Fogarty, Team Leader of the Recon Team being extracted., 20061226

THE VIRTUAL WALL - SGT ROE HOPSON
Roe Hopson Jr
Sergeant

PERSONAL DATA
Home of Record: Milo, KY
Date of birth: 12/25/1948

MILITARY DATA
Service: United States Marine Corps
Grade at loss: E5
Rank: Sergeant
MOS: 0311: RIFLEMAN
Length Service: 02
Unit: B CO, 1ST RECON BN, 1ST MARDIV, III MAF

CASUALTY DATA
Start Tour: 07/11/1969
Incident Date: 06/01/1970
Casualty Date: 06/01/1970
Age at Loss: 21
Location: , South Vietnam
Remains: Body recovered
Casualty Type: Hostile, died outright
Casualty Reason: Ground casualty
Casualty Detail: Multiple fragmentation wounds

URL: www.VirtualWall.org/dh/HopsonRx01a.htm

ON THE WALL Panel 10W Line 130