More detail on this person: CW3 Louis James
Rochat III U.S. Army (Retired) Burial information: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
Please send additions or corrections to: HQ@vhpa.org VHPA Headquarters
Return to the Helicopter Pilot DAT name list
Return to VHPA web site
Date posted on this site:
03/10/2024
Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association
LOUIS JAMES ROCHAT III - Who better to write an
obit on someone other than the person the obit is
about, EH? I was born on 20 July 1949 at Fort
Knox, Kentucky in a military hospital to post WWII
military, depression era experienced parents. The
first son and oldest sibling of LTC Louis James
Rochat Jr (Rocky) and Hermia Tyler Johnson
(Johnnie). My parents could not make it back to
Texas in time for my birth but I consider San
Saba, Texas my home where my grandparents
Louis James Rochat Sr (Gaga) and Linnie Floyce
Taylor (Mimi) owned and worked a ranch and farm
unit that I dearly loved. My little brother is
retired Army LTC Larry Lee Rochat (an Airborne,
Ranger, and Aviator) and sister Mary Madelyn
Rochat I have two fantastic daughters, Amy Huff
and Celena Hendrix. I have two outstanding
son-in-laws, James Huff and Michael Hendrix. I
have the best grandchildren in the world, McKenna
Huff (Little Miss), Cade Huff, Tristan and
Gabriella Hendrix. I dislike the words 'passing,
passed on, passed away, gone into eternal rest,
went to be with the Lord, entered into Heaven,
etc.,' because no one wants to really do those
things. Remaining vertical is much better than
being carried by six to a hole in the ground. I
prefer to know that we each owe a death from the
moment we are born so why worry about it. Live
life as if there is tomorrow. My life history ? IT
HAS BEEN SOME PARTY! I've played football,
baseball, ran track, played trumpet in the band,
was the guy in high school with the 1957 Chevy
street rod, a licensed NHRA, IHRA and AHRA drag
racer in door slammers through Class "A"
dragsters, Scuba Diver with a Dive Master rating,
NSSA Class AA skeet competitor, NRA Life
Member and rifle/pistol/shotgun competitor, dart
competition, league bowling, compound bow and
arrow competition, have won a Winchester World
Championship skeet shooting event, free diver,
Olympic shooting competition referee, rode PBRA
level rodeo bulls for two years, competition bass
fisherman, novice fly fisherman, TSRA Life Member
and NRA Service Rifle competitor, black powder
shooter in both handgun and Hawken rifle, stamp
and coin collector, hand-loader, hunter and
outdoorsman in general. I had as much fun taking
photographs of animals I ever had actually hunting
them. Ice fishing and sled riding in Wisconsin
with one of my best friends Steve Ellis was always
a winter bonus since we rarely had winter in South
Texas. I will never forget all my adventures of
flying and all of our conversations together with
my other best friend John Sarviss. TILL WE FLY
AGAIN................
I am survived by the woman and the love of my life
for 33 years Ann. Till we meet again my
love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The viewing will be held at Colonial Funeral Home
from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 2, 2010.
Services will be Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 10 a.m.
at the Colonial Funeral Home Chapel. His interment
will be held Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 9:00
A.M.at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. He
will be laid to rest with full military honors.
I never met Rocket in this life, but Jan & I
attended his memorial this morning. It was very
well done, by an Army chaplain (captain,) Jared
Vineyard, currently serving with the 101st
Airborne. He is married to Rocket's niece, and
Rocket asked Jared to lead his service. Rocket
accepted Jesus not too long ago. There were Army
& Air Force guys & girls present in uniform,
active duty & retired. I wore my Cav hat. (I
think Rocket worked at Randolph AFB.) Recently
one of his flying buddies donated a needed kidney.
He improved for a while, but died of
complications.
Rocket is famous in Cavalry circles; flew scout
ships and Cobras with 1/9 Cav in III Corps. Shot
down 5 times; left a leg in the last one. I was
disappointed that no one told the story about how
he shot himself in the foot, then calmly drove
away, in front of two guys who did not know he had
a fake leg. One pilot whose life Rocket saved was
present this morning. Happened near Phouc
Vinh/Lai Khe. Told how Rocket landed under fire,
enemy advancing, was out of his Cobra still 50
feet in the air, hanging on the outside, and put
this guy into his Cobra seat. The saved guy was
bleeding to death and nearly unconscious. Then
Rocket flew out the shot-up scout ship with the
two gunners aboard, with no instruments, no
radios, and a round through the combustion
chamber. God bless the OH-6A. And God bless
Rocket's family
From: Chuck Oualline