Hoeffs Family synopsis:
John’s father, Harvey Harold Hoeffs (pronounced HAYffs) was born 2 June 1923 in Shawano, Wisconsin, a third generation American whose great-great grandfather immigrated to the Shawano area in 1857 from Pommern, Prussia (now Germany).
His wife, Jacque, was born in Phoenix, Arizona.
They met after Harvey moved to Arizona to ease his suffering from asthma. Harvey and Jacque were married on 13 Apr 1944 in Florance, Arizona.
After they married, Harvey and Jacque returned to Wisconsin for a time and their first son, Russell, was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They moved back to Arizona shortly afterwards, and their second son, SP4 John Harvey Hoeffs, was born 25 Feb 1946 in Casa Grande, Arizona.
Two more sons, Jim and Jerry, followed. All four of the Hoeffs sons grew up in Oceanside, San Diego county, California and graduated from Oceanside High School.
Harvey Harold Hoeffs died on 11 May 1977 in Oceanside, California, without ever seeing his son return to American soil.
| John Harvey Hoeffs | |
|---|---|
| Location on the Wall: | Panel 12E - Line 127 |
| Age at Loss: | 20 |
| Race: | Caucasian |
| Sex: | Male |
| Date of Birth: | 25 Feb, 1946 |
| Home of Record: | Oceanside, CA |
| Religion: | Roman Catholic |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Branch: | Army |
| Grade: | E4 |
| Rank: | SP4-Selective Service |
| ID Number: | |
| Unit: | |
| MOS: | Rifleman - Tunnel Rat |
| Date of Loss: | 28 Nov, 1966 |
| Country of Loss: | South Vietnam |
| Loss Coordinates: | |
| Status: | Body Not Recovered |
| Type of Loss: | Non-hostile, died while missing |
| Reason: | Drowned |
| Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: | Ground Casualty |
| Incident Ref. #: | |
SP4 John H. Hoeffs was a rifleman with Company A,
1st Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry division.
On November 28, 1966, Hoeffs was swimming with members of his unit in the vicinity of grid CQ 173 678 (about 10 miles north of the city of Tuy Hoa in Phy Yen Province, South Vietnam), when a large wave came in and swept several individuals out to sea.
All the individuals were able to get back to shore except for SP4 Hoeffs. A helicopter was used to search off shore and along the shoreline for him, but he was never found, nor were any remains recovered.
**Note: John’s brother, Russ, states that he was a strong swimmer with lifeguard certification.
Unit members who were witness to this loss say that John and another member of the unit. who was also a strong swimmer, pulled several men from the riptide that day. John rescued three men, before being swept away on his fourth time back into the dangerous current.
Standing by in Wisconsin.
L,R & B
Pig pen
President
Chapter A Wisconsin
VNV M/C USA