Odessa Montour Central High School - Odessanean Yearbook (Odessa, NY)

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GY SGT GORDON WOOD HOOVER dti Mmoum GORDON W. HOOVER, son of Judson R. and Arlene Wood Hoover was born at Elmira, New York, February 12, 1936. As an infant he was baptized and became a member of North Presbyterian Church of Elmira, New York. A graduate of George Washington School in that city on 23 June 1950, Gordon began attendance at Odessa Central High School, after the family moved to its present home on the Watkins Road at Millport, New York in June of that year. Upon his graduation from high school where he was prominent in athletics (baseball, basketball, and football) he became for somewhat more that a year an employee at the Horse-heads plant of the Westinghouse company. In August 1955 Gordon enlisted in the United State Marine Corps and graduated from “boot” training at Parris Island, South Carolina 18 October 1955. Attached to the Sixth Fleet he made several Mediterranean cruises, landing with the Corps at Beirut, in the late 50’s when the situation in the middle East threatened to explode. From Camp LeJeune where he had been stationed, with his wife, Ruth Marie Gardner, former Montour Falls girl, a son, Judson Frederick known as “Ricky” born January 15, 1958; and a second son, Gordon Wood Hoover, Jr. known as “Sarge” and born at Schuyler Hospital, Montour Falls, New York July 7, 1959, Gordon moved to the military base at San Diego, California, by which time he had been promoted to sergeant. August 1961 found Sgt. Hoover in Okinawa and later in Laos and Thailand from which duty he returned to San Diego in January 1963. Upon his return he was transferred to Barstow, California to the Marine Supply Depot where he remained until September 1964 when he was assigned to drill instructor school at San Diego. While in this school he was promoted to Staff Sergeant. 12 February 1967 found Gordon on his 31st birthday outbound for Viet-Nam where he met his death near Hue. Viet Nam 31 January 1968. By that time he had been promoted to Gunnery Sgt. In the service ot the United States Marine Corp, GY SGT Gordon W. Hoover had received three good conduct medals together with letters of commendation from his superior officers. Steeped in the tradition ot that t orps GY SGT Gordon W. Hoover made the supreme sacrifice exemplifying thereby its motto, “Semper Fidelis”.