JOHN EDWARD OOCUMMA

Company A 1/22 Infantry

4th Infantry Division

KIA 02/16/1967

Army - PFC - E3

Age: 25
Race: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Date of Birth Jul 9, 1941
From: CHEROKEE, NC
Religion: METHODIST
Marital Status: Single

PFC - E3 - Army - Selective Service
4th Infantry Division
MOS: 11B10: Infantryman
Length of service 0 years
His tour began on Oct 25, 1966
Casualty was on Feb 16, 1967
In KONTUM, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered

Panel 15E - Line 49

John Oocumma was killed in a battle with NVA forces during Operation Sam Houston,
at grid reference YA598614, approximately 27 kilometers west/northwest of Plei Djereng airfield.

PFC Oocumma's decorations

Top: Combat Infantryman Badge
Middle left to right: Silver Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Good Conduct Medal,
National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal w/ Campaign Star, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal w/ date bar
Bottom: Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation w/ Palm, Republic of Vietnam Civic Action Honor Medal 2nd Class
Unit Citation w/ Palm

**********************

The following story and photos are taken from the memorial to
John E. Oocumma on the Find A Grave website:

Birth: Jul. 9, 1941
Cherokee
Swain County
North Carolina, USA
Death: Feb. 16, 1967
Yen Bai, Vietnam

PFC John Edward Oocumma, Vietnam Veteran, Native of Cherokee, NC.

Private First Class John Edward Oocumma was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Army Selective Service
and a Draftee, PFC Oocumma served our country until February 16th, 1967 in Quang Ngai, South Vietnam.
He was 25 years old and was not married. It was reported that John died from small arms fire or grenade.
His body was recovered. John was born on July 9th, 1941 in Cherokee, North Carolina.
PFC Oocumma is on panel 15E, line 049 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C.
He served our country for less than a year.

Just sharing his story: John Edward Oocumma was a member of A Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry,
4th Infantry Division. He and 20 other men were killed in action during Operation Sam Houston. Angela Kraft.

He attended Washington College Academy in Limestone, Tennessee.
He was a friend and a schoolmate: To 'Chief': We all knew him as Chief. A full blooded Cherokee Indian.
Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your life!
Frank Jablonski, 635 Belgrove Drive Kearny NJ 07032, Fjablonski@comcast.net

He was the son of Mr Homer Mrs Fannie Oocumma Rattler Powell, Route #1, Cherokee, NC. Brother to Jackie.

He served with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, USARV.

He was awarded The Combat Infantryman's Badge(CIB), The Purple Heart Medal for his combat related wounds,
The Vietnam Service Medal, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service Medal, The National Defense Service Medal
and The Good Conduct Medal.

Burial:
Yellow Hill Cemetery
Cherokee
Swain County
North Carolina, USA

Created by: Tom Reece
Record added: Apr 03, 2007
Find A Grave Memorial# 18748931

John Edward "Chief" Oocumma. He was a great lover of animals.
Photo courtesy of Frank W. Jablonski.
Added by: Tom Reece
6/25/2010

Tennessee-Carolina Fair Show Team. L-R, Eugene Tucker, Freddie Jablonski, Frank Jablonski,
John Edward "Chief" Oocumma and Mr Foster. Photo courtesy of Frank W. Jablonski.
Added by: Tom Reece
6/25/2010

The grave marker for John E. Oocumma

photo by Richard Jordan

The Find A Grave memorial to John E. Oocumma was created and is maintained by

Tom Reese

The 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry website is grateful to Tom for granting permission to use material
from that memorial. To view the memorial click on the following link:

Find A Grave Memorial# 18748931

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