William J. Hodde sent us this information on November 20, 2012 after viewing
our website:

William (Bill) Hodde attended
Hackensack High School from 1959-1962
Lettered in Football and Baseball
           
Enlisted in the Marine Corps in June 1964.  After boot camp at Parris Island,
I was ordered to NAS Pensacola for flight training in the Marine Aviation Cadet program. 

I received my commission as a2nd Lt, in the USMC and my wings in June of 1966.  I deployed to Vietnam in April 1967, and served as a pilot with HMM-165, I MAW.  The squadron operated the H-46 “Sea Knight” helicopter. Our mission was troop transport, resupply, and medical evacuation.

I flew missions during the siege of Khe Sanh and the Battle for Hue during the
TET Offensive in 1968. I was awarded 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses and 23
Air Medals. During my tour in Vietnam HMM-165 received the Presidential Unit and Naval Unit Citations.

After completing my tour in May 1968,
I returned to NAS Pensacola as a flight instructor. I left the
Marine Corps in 1970 with the rank of Captain.
           

After the military, I flew as a corporate pilot until I retired in 2007. I was a Captain with American Express, Gannett News, and a production test pilot with
Gulf stream Aerospace. My flight experiences have taken me around the world in Gulf stream aircraft. In 1984, as Director Flight Operations / Chief Pilot,
I established the USAA flight department in San Antonio TX.

Tail Winds, Bill Hodde

             William J. Hodde (Bill) is retired and lives in San Antonio, Texas today. 

Let us never forget the Marines sacrifice.

Recorded by:
Bob Meli
November 30, 2012