Hershel Wayne Gober

Former Deputy Secretary/Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs, The Honorable Hershel Wayne Gober, age 87, passed away in his home in Palm Coast, FL on October 15, 2024, surrounded by Mary Lou Keener, his wife of 28 years and his family. Hershel, one of eight children, was born on December 21, 1936, in Monticello, AR. He grew up in Monticello and graduated from Drew Central High School in 1954. Hershel was an accomplished guitar player, singer, recording artist, Vietnam Veteran, government official, business executive and a loving father of six children, fourteen grandkids and twenty-four great grandkids. Hershel graduated from Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage, AK. cum laude, with a bachelor's degree in history in 1974, while stationed at FT Richardson.
Hershel developed a love for singing and playing the guitar at a young age. Eventually Hershel became an accomplished entertainer and musician. He successfully wrote and recorded several songs, most notably the song ''Let's Get it On'' on the ACE Record Label.
Hershel served in the US Marines from 1955-1959 where he reached the rank of Sergeant. When Hershel returned to Arkansas from the Marines he worked for the Missouri-Pacific Railroad though after a while he decided to join the US Army because ''working on the railroad was too dangerous.''
Hershel joined the US Army in 1961, completed Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA. As a First Lieutenant, Hershel and Family were assigned to a tour of duty in Germany. Hershel was assigned to various assignments in the United States including Alaska. He served in Vietnam in 1965-1966 as a Military Advisor, and again in 1969 as a Company Commander, when he was wounded. During his distinguished military career, Hershel received numerous medals and wards most notably, Soldiers Medal for Heroism, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Notorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, USMC and Army Good Conduct Medals, National Service Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 3 battle stars, Republic of Vietnam Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Medal with Palm, Vietnam Honor Medal, Vietnam Civic Action Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Parachutist Badge, Expert Rifle and Pistol Badge. Hershel retired as a Major from the US Army in 1978 and in 1993, he was inducted into the Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame.
While in the US Army Hershel's musical abilities allowed him to perform for his Family, Army colleagues and people who appreciate a good song. During his time in the Army, he performed with several musicians such as Kris Kristofferson, Michael Moore, and Arthur Godfrey.
During his first tour in Vietnam, his singing and songwriting ability caught the ear of Gen. William Westmoreland, commander of US forces in Vietnam, who asked Gober to put a band together and perform for troops in the field. Hershel formed the ''Black Patches,'' which was part of the Touring Shows. The Black Patches performed in active combat areas in Vietnam which were locations considered too dangerous for civilian tour groups. During President Johnson's visit to Vietnam in 1966, General Westmoreland had the Black Patches performed for the President.
Upon returning to the states from 1966-1969, he appeared on many variety television shows including the Today Shows, The Tonight Shows, and The Mike Douglas Show. He also performed for President Nixon at the White House. In 1966 he was featured in an ABC Television chapter of "ABC Scope" narrated by Howard K. Smith entitled "The Singing Soldier". At one time, Hershel had two weekly variety TV shows, ''The Hershel Gober Show,'' in Columbus, GA and Eldorado, AR and has over thirty songs registered in the Library of Congress. In 1970 Hershel recorded and released his vinyl record album ''Proud American'' which features the songs he during his wrote first tour in Vietnam.
Retiring from military service in 1978, Gober joined Northwest Pipeline Corporation headquartered in Fairbanks, AK as the director of rights-of-way and land acquisition.
In 1983, Hershel returned to AR, as the ROTC instructor in Warren, AR. Beginning in 1985, he served as the department adjutant of the American Legion, Department of Arkansas, a position he held until 1988, when Governor Bill Clinton appointed him director of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs. He held that post until 1993, when President Clinton appointed him Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs. As Deputy Secretary, Hershel managed the day-to-day operations and an annual budget of over $48 billion with 220,000 employees. During his eight years with the VA, Hershel actively pressed for the expansion of benefits for veterans who were prisoners of war, for those who were exposed to Agent Orange, radiation, or mustard gas, and for Persian Gulf veterans suffering from unexplained illnesses.
In 1993, President Clinton appointed Hershel to lead a special delegation to Vietnam, seeking resolution to POW and MIA issues and to begin the process of normalizing relations between the two countries. Hershel made two other trips to Vietnam while serving under President Clinton.
Gober left government service when Clinton's term expired in 2000 and he and his wife, Mary Lou Keener, founded Gober & Associates, which specialized in lobbying for Veteran issues across the country. In 2002, he became the national legislative director for the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), and in 2016, was elected National Commander of the MOPH. After leaving his post as National Commander of MOPH, Hershel was elected as a member of the Purple Heart Foundation Board of Directors. Of all his titles throughout his life, Hershel's favorite title that he was most proud of was Papa Hershel.
Hershel and Mary Lou continued to advocate for Veteran issues and retired in 2022. Hershel enjoyed playing golf with Mary Lou, and he enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, Wade and Jimmie Gober; brothers, Wade, Curt, James, Bill; sisters, Ruby Gober and Helen Castleman; and the mother of his children, Olivia DeArmond.
He is survived by his sister, Peggy Savage of Monticello, AR; all sons, Curtis and (Lori) of Moss Bluff, LA, Mark and (Whitney) Ozment Bluff, Jeff and (Jamie) of Baton Rouge, LA, Chris and (Pam) of Ozment Bluff; daughters, Laura and (Greg) Whitaker of Enon, and Elizabeth Gober of Ozment Bluff; 14 grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren; and ''Bella'' his loving dog of 18 years. Hershel was proud of his Drew County roots and never forgot where he came from, and he enjoyed his many trips home visiting with family and friends.
Visitation will be Saturday, November 16, 2024, from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. in the Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Chapel. Celebration of life services will follow at 3:00 p.m. Hershel will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in remembrance of Hershel be sent to the Purple Heart Foundation, PO Box 49, Annandale, VA, 22003.