More detail on this person: Mike Hammer was a
member of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the
VHPA & USMC Combat Helicopter Association
(also know as Popasmoke).
Born Jan 14, 1940 in Guernsey, Iowa, he died Jan
19, 2012 at home in Lakewood, Colorado. Mike
graduated from the University of Iowa with a
degree in Business Administration. After Marine
OCS, Mike attended the Navy Flight School at
Pensacola, Florida. He flew two tours in RVN, on
his first tour with HMM-263, he flew CH-34's. On
the second tour, he flew a UHIE gunships with
HML-167. His Air Medals had the numerals 63
along with a bronze star for valor. As a
section/division leader in HML-167, Mike often
lead missions deep into Laos & North Vietnam on
the Mission Prairie Fire (Prairie Fire was also
know as Mission # 72). Mike then flew the
President of the United States with HMX-1.
After leaving the USMC in 1975, Mike moved to
Lakewood, CO and joined the Environmental
Protection Agency, for 25 years. He also worked
for FEMA on many different emergencies.
Rick Beaver, Gary Heurelle, Fred Lyssy, Jim
McNamee & Walter Wise of the Rocky Mountain
Chapter of the VHPA attended Mike's services, they
were conducted by Mike's brother-in-law the
Reverend Ray HInsch, himself a former CH-46 pilot
in RVN with HMM-161 in 1970.
Mike is survived by his wife of 51 years, Kathryn.
They have three children Robert, Susan & Jon, and
5 grandchildren. Also survived by his two
sisters: Janus & Carol, and brother: Norman. Mike
will be deeply missed.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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