David Thomas Messa

David T. Messa, age 76, of Gulfport, MS, passed away on Thursday, August 28, 2025.

Mr. Messa was born in New Orleans, LA, on July 21, 1949, and was a long-time resident of Gulfport. He graduated from West Jefferson High School and attended LSU in Baton Rouge and Northwestern State University in Natchitoches until the time “Uncle Sam” called him to duty.

As he always said, “I beat Uncle Sam one day out of a leap year,” when he spent 365 days in Vietnam flying AH-1G Cobra Attack Helicopters. He was proud to serve with his brothers of the 361st Pink Panthers. He was a life member of and attended the Vietnam Helicopters Pilots Association yearly reunion until he was too sick to attend this year.

After 6 ½ years of active duty, Mr. Messa retired and spent the rest of his military career with the Army National Guard in New Orleans while also working in the Gulf of Mexico. After flying personnel and equipment to and from oil production structures for Chevron USA, he retired after 32 years, in 2009, flying over 20,000 hours.

From there, Mr. Messa never slowed down. He and his wife, Karen, had a motor home for over three years and traveled 49 states. They visited most national park units and some of the favorites were riding mules and staying overnight at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, helping launch a hot air balloon at the Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Festival, seeing Yellowstone National Park in the winter, and visiting many parks in the west. In 2000, they were scuba diving at 50 feet at midnight in Roatan, Honduras for Y2K. He was also an avid fan of the Atlanta Braves during the good years and the bad.

He and his wife attended Northwood Church at the Gulfport campus.

Mr. Messa was preceded in death by his parents, Louis Francis and Ethel Langhoff Messa; and his brother, Paul Louis Messa.

Survivors include his loving wife and caretaker, Karen Messa; daughter, Michelle (Mile); son, Scott (Marlene); and 4 beautiful granddaughters, Alyssa, Alexis, Brooke, and Ashlyn. Those girls put the sparkle in his eyes.

Mr. Messa’s family would like to thank his doctors and nurses across the coast, at Ochsner’s Hospital in New Orleans, at Memorial Hospital in Gulfport, and St. Joseph Hospice in Gulfport. Also, his brothers of the 361st AWC Pink Panthers – once together; always together.

A visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 11:50 a.m. on Friday, September 12, 2025, at Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street, Gulfport, followed by a procession to Biloxi National Cemetery for a short service, then to Salute Italian Restaurant, Gulfport, MS, for a Celebration of Life from 1:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The Parkinson’s Foundation Gulf Coast Chapter, 5757 Waterford District Drive, Suite 310, Miami, FL 33126, or Vietnam Helicopters Pilots Association Fund at VHPA Endowment, 1601 E Lamar Blvd., Suite 117, Arlington, TX 76011.