HEMMINGSEN DOUGLAS H

WO1 Douglas "Doug" H. Hemmingsen was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 06/09/2022 at the age of 74.1 from Pancreatic cancer
Burnsville, NC
Flight Class 69-5
Date of Birth 04/18/1948
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 114 AHC in 69-69
Call sign in Vietnam SODBUSTER
This information was provided by Linda Hemmingsen

More detail on this person: Douglas H. Hemmingsen, age 74, of Burnsville, North Carolina passed away with his wife by his side after a brief battle with Pancreatic Cancer. He was born April 18th, 1948, in Belvidere Illinois and died June 9th, 2022, at Mission Hospital, Asheville North Carolina. He grew up on a dairy farm and volunteered to serve his country as a Huey Helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Between Warrant Officer Class 69-5 and his 26 years in the Illinois Army National Guard, he was awarded the Purple Heart and sixteen Air Medals. He retired from Exelon as an equipment operator at the Byron nuclear power plant. He was a life member of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, Disabled American Veterans, Army Aviation Association of America and Asheville's Emmanuel Lutheran Church. He kept his sense of humor until the end, joking about his nine lives: he had his hand caught in the hay fork on the farm, got shot in Vietnam, totaled his Corvette, had to land his Cessna in a strange farm field flying home through Missouri while running out of gas during a storm, was fired by the President/ATC and snake bit by a copperhead in North Carolina. Those Doug left behind to cherish his memory include his wife of 49 years, Linda (Finke) Hemmingsen. His three children: Lt Col Martin (Aimee) Hemmingsen, Nathan Hemmingsen (Amy Burns), and Nora (Eddie) Gardner. His thirteen grandchildren who he loved watching grow and was so proud of: Mitchell, Nolan, Tara, Kaley, Calvin and Evie Hemmingsen, Makenzie, Eli, and Julia Hemmingsen, Caullin and Bailey Burns, Anthony and Wyatt Gardner. Siblings: Brenda (Dale) Moehling, Adele (Steve) Weskerna, Dick (Sharon) Hemmingsen, Alan (Marilyn) Finke, Anne Frisbee, Karen (Anthony) Winston and many nieces and nephews.

This information was last updated 08/18/2022

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024