More detail on this person: Gordon Leroy Hine,
68, died at his home in Patterson, Louisiana on
March 31, 2007. He is survived by his sons Douglas
of Grand Junction, Colorado, Donavan of Atlanta,
Georgia; daughters Leah Lee of Lumberton,
Mississippi, Lynette Stewart of Richmond, Virginia
and brother, Randall of Sacramento, California.
Gordy had seven grandchildren and three great
grandchildren. This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site:
03/10/2024
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Gordy was a career helicopter pilot with Air
Logistics, who at the time of his death, was home
recovering from injuries suffered when his
Aerospatial EC120 experienced an hydraulic
hardover and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. It
is not believed the injuries contributed to his
untimely death - Gordy passed away in his sleep.
Gordy enlisted in the Army and became a tanker.
He taught armor tactics and tank gunnery in
Viseck, Germany. He applied for OCS and was
commissioned a 2nd LT. before receiving orders to
Viet Nam. In March 1966 he was assigned as an
advisor to Vietnamese Rangers in the Mekong
Delta. During this time, Gordy received the first
of his three Purple Hearts. The first was for a
punji stake wound that almost cost him his leg,
and a second for shrapnel wounds suffered when a
booby trapped artillery round exploded killing
eight of his Rangers. It was here that Gordy was
awarded the first of his Bronze Stars with three
Oak Leaf Clusters. Since he was detailed as an
infantry officer with his Vietnamese Rangers,
Gordy was awarded the coveted Combat Infantry
Badge, one of the few non infantry branch officers
to receive it.
After his first tour, Gordy returned to the states
and went to Army flight school before returning to
Viet Nam in 1968. He was assigned to D Troop,
1st Squadron of the 1st Cavalry, flying Cobras.
Later Gordy served with B Company, 123rd Aviation
Battalion with the call sign Warlord 37. An
exceptional flight leader, Gordy was looked up to
by young and old pilots alike. He was outspoken
to the point that his superiors knew asking him a
question might not get the answer desired. When
asked why he had done some unauthorized firing
one day, Gordy replied "because they were
running." Why were they running, he was asked.
"Because I was firing at them," came the reply.
Gordy was riffed in 1971 and worked for a short
time for Astro Aviation before joining Air
Logistics in 1974. He started flying the Bell 206
before upgrading to the Bell 212, an aircraft he
loved. Known for his quick wit, Gordy wore his
patriotism and love of country on his sleeve for
all to see. One night at the company trailer in
Amelia, Gordy, with a few toddys under his belt,
decided that President Reagan could use his help
with Qadaffi in Libya. Repeatedly he called the
White House asking to speak to the President.
"Just let me have a gunship," he told the White
House operator, "and I'll take care of the
situation." When Air Log got the phone bill, they
wondered about all the calls to the White House.
When they found out Gordy had been in the trailer
that night they knew, everyone knew, because that
was exactly who Gordy was. As one of his Army
buddies said of him, "he was funny,
compassionate, lovable and sometimes a real
jackass." That's how we all remember him - Gordy
we miss you.
From: Jay Hovers