‘An incredible young man’: Vietnam War veteran from Honolulu honors fallen son in Washington
WASHINGTON (HawaiiNewsNow) - A Vietnam War combat medic veteran from Honolulu was in Washington, D.C., this weekend for a personal Memorial Day commemoration.
Allen “Doc” Hoe made the trip to visit the USAA Poppy Wall of Honor, where a special dedication to his late son is now included.
On Jan. 22, 2005, Nainoa K. Hoe was killed in action in Mosul, Iraq, where he served as a 1st lieutenant infantry officer with the Army’s 3rd Battalion.
He was 27 years old.
Doc Hoe brought an American flag that he’s carried with him throughout his entire life, collecting pins from every military installation he has visited over the years.
“This flag went to my son, and he was carrying it the day he was killed in combat in Mosul,” Hoe explained. “I am very proud. (He was) just an incredible young man.”
The flag was on display for visitors to see throughout the holiday weekend.
In addition to visiting the Poppy Wall of Honor as an honored guest of USAA, Hoe spent time visiting the Vietnam War Memorial, where he laid down poppy pins for all of his fallen brothers and sisters that were lost in combat in his service career.
The United Services Automobile Association first installed the 134-foot Poppy Wall of Honor on the National Mall in 2018.
It is a tribute to the more than 600,000 U.S. service members lost in the line of duty since World War I, and features the poppy flower, the international symbol of remembrance.
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