Lieutenant Gary Douglas Hopps, who joined the U.S. Navy from Florida, was a member of Attack Squadron 145, embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CVA 61). On February 10, 1966, he piloted a single-seat A-1H Skyraider (bureau number 137627, call sign "Electron 506") as part of a three-plane armed reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam. After the formation made its attack on the target in the vicinity of (GC) 48Q XE 683 040, the flight leader noticed that "Electron 506" was nowhere to be found. An immediate search located the aircraft’s wreckage near the target, but found no sign of LT Hopps. He remains unaccounted for following the incident. Today, Lieutenant Hopps is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Deferred.

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