Herb Doby had a long military career before being declared MIA until 1977. Date of birth: 23 August 1931 Date of casualty: 4 February 1967 Home of record: Oregon City, Oregon Branch and Rank: Air Force, Lieutenant Colonel, Electronic Warfare Officer Unit: 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron Awards: National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal Location of name on the Vietnam Wall: 14E, 116
Location of service: North Vietnam, Thua Thien province
Lieutenant Colonel Doby was a member of the 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Takhli Airbase, Thailand. On February 4, 1967, he was a crew member of a Douglas Destroyer Electronic Surveillance Aircraft (EB-66C) on an a strike against the Thai Nguyen Army Depot, 32miles northwest of Thai Nguyen, Bac Thai Province, North Vietnam. About 40 miles from the Chinese border, his aircraft was shot down. His remains were recovered on September 30, 1977 and identified on November 1, 1977. Burial location: Arlington National Cemetery
Memorials: Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Washington, DC), Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Portland), Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial, US Naval Academy Memorial Hall
An MIA bracelet for Herb Doby was widely distributed in the 1960s.
Doby began his military career long before his service in Vietnam. He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1957. The USNA published a short bio which tells us about Herb’s hobbies: Herb came to the Naval Academy from the fleet where be held the rate of Aviation Electronics Technician, Second Class. He attended the USNA prep school at Bainbridge before entering the Academy. During his stay there, Herb took up a new sport — gymnastics — and became a valuable asset to the Varsity Gym team as a rope climber. Although born in New Mexico, Herb proudly claimed Oregon as his home state. His favorite pastimes included playing the guitar and mandolin, collecting hillbilly records and working with electronics equipment. Herb's easygoing manner and outstanding personality won him many friends at the Academy, where he left a fine record.
The Oregonian, Sunday, May 26, 1957 Annapolis Lists Eight The United States naval academy at Annapolis, Md., has announced the names of eight Oregon young men who will be graduated June 7. Two will be commissed as second lieutenants in the air force: Ronald J. Jensen, son of Clayton S. Jensen, Nyssa; Herb Doby, son of Mrs. E.A. Neustel, Oregon City.
He lived in Oregon and enlisted in Oregon City, but moved frequently. He’s also claimed as a resident of Bethesda, Maryland and Deming, New Mexico. We know he practiced the Catholic faith and that he was married, but we have been unable to find any information about his wife.