HUMMEL, JOHN FLOYD
CWO, U.S. Army
Ward County, Texas

Picture:
None Available

Medals:

Two Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, National defense Medal, Republic of Vietnam Service Medal and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon.

Biography:

Born August 10, 1948, Johnny attended the Barstow Schools and three and one/half years at University of Texas El Paso.

He enlisted in the service and trained at Mineral Wells, Texas; Fort Rucker, Alabama; and Stewart-Hunter for Cobra Training. He served in the Mekong Delta for eight months, took leave to see his mother who was in ill health, and returned to Nam on February 22. He rejoined his outfit at Quang Tri.

Johnny was officially reported as missing March 6, 1971. He was last seen as the pilot of a military aircraft on a military mission when contact was lost.

UPDATE: On October 11, 1994, the family received notice from the casualty Operations Center, Department of the Army, that CW3 John F. Hummel was deceased. Death is presumed to have occurred on November 13, 1978. Remains not recovered. After reevaluation of the incident, CW3 Hummel's casualty status is changed from Non-Battle, Deceased, to Hostile, Deceased, K.I.A.

POW/MIA INFORMATION:

Name: John Floyd Hummel
Rank/Branch: W1/US Army
Unit: Troop B, 7th Squadron, 1st Cavalry, 164th Aviation Group
Date of Birth: 10 August 1948 (Pecos TX)
Home City of Record: Barstow TX
Date of Loss: 06 March 1971
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 164204N 1063359E (XD670470)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 1
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: AH1G
Other Personnel In Incident: William P. Milliner (missing)

SYNOPSIS: On March 6, 1971, WO John F. Hummel, pilot, and WO William P. Milliner, co-pilot, were flying an AH1G Cobra helicopter gunship (serial #67-15464) as the wingman in a flight of two helicopters returning from a combat support mission over Laos. While in route, the weather turned hazy. At about 2000 hours, the wingman notified his troop's forward operation at Khe Sanh, South Vietnam, that both gunships were planning to use a ground control approach (GCA). That was the last radio contact with WO Hummel's aircraft.

The lead gunship contacted the Khe Sanh GCA and was told to climb to 5000 feet and make a left 360 degree turn to a heading of 020 degrees. The wingman was still with the lead aircraft at this time, but no radio contact could be established with him.

Shortly after, the GCA control informed the lead aircraft to turn to a heading of 070 degrees at 4000 feet. After a descending turn was initiated, WO Hummel's aircraft passed over the top of the lead aircraft. This separation occurred in the clear, and then the flight leader entered the cloud layer so no further visual sighting of WO Hummel's aircraft occurred. The lead aircraft landed safely.

Search and rescue efforts were begun for Hummel and Milliner, but had negative results. Hummel and Milliner were listed Missing in Action.