Vietnam War
| Unit | 774th Tactical Airlift Squadron |
|---|---|
| Rank | Staff Sergeant U.S. Air Force |
| Entered Service From | Glenside Pennsylvania |
| Date of Death | May 12 1968 |
| Status | Recovered |
| Memorialized |
Courts of the Missing
Court
A
Honolulu Memorial |
Notes
Staff Sergeant Hepler was a member of the 774th Tactical Airlift Squadron. On May 12, 1968, he was the flight engineer of a Lockheed Hercules Transport Aircraft (C-130B) trying to evacuate personnel from Kham Duc Special Forces Camp on the western fringes of Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam. As the aircraft took off it received hostile fire, exploded in mid-air and crashed in a fireball. His remains were not recovered immediately following the war. In 2008, Staff Sgt. Hepler's remains were recovered and identified. His name permanently is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.
