48 years ago, almost this instant, June 25, 1965, a USAF transport took off from MCAS El Toro, Orange County California. 84 souls on that flight, mostly Marines headed for Hawaii, then to Okinawa then to Viet Nam. The plane crashed at the tip of LOMA RIDGE, just north of the airfield. No survivors................... As a Young Marine, I was JUST one of many who flew up to the top of the ridge in helicopters........and we rode back down in trucks with the 83 bodies.....the 84th found the next day. I came home that day from work, covered in blood...........I recall the images of that day.....and how a human body can be so destroyed.........I know what I saw.....its burned into my brain.....I know what I / WE did to bring our men back down the mountain............but GOD has blocked my mind of the tactile feeling I must have had in doing my job. We all treated each and every man with respect and we did our job as reverently as we could under those extreme emotions and conditions. The sad part........they died on US soil, and not included on the WALL.....where they should be.............they died ENROUTE to Viet Nam. Semper Fi n God Bless
Posted on: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 08:18:51 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015