A TRIBUTE
TO THOSE FELLOW KC130 FLIGHT CREW MEMBERS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES SERVING
GOD, COUNTRY AND THE
UNITED
STATES MARINE CORPS
A TRIBUTE
TO THOSE FELLOW KC130 FLIGHT CREW MEMBERS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES SERVING
GOD, COUNTRY AND THE
UNITED
STATES MARINE CORPS
THE WALL IS A SYMBOL THAT WAS ERECTED IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE. MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THE WALL IN WASHINGTON, D.C. THERE IS ALSO A WALL THAT IS AN EXACT REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL WALL. THIS IS CALLED THE MOVING WALL AS IT TRAVELS THROUGH OUT THE UNITED STATES GIVING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THIS MEMORIAL TO OUR GALLANT MEN AND WOMEN WHO WERE KILLED IN ACTION IN VIETNAM. I WILL ATTEMPT TO SHOW THE NAMES OF THOSE I SERVED WITH THAT LOST THEIR LIVES. THESE PICTURES WERE TAKEN AT THE RIVERSIDE NATIONAL CEMETERY, RIVERSIDE , CALIFORNIA. THE CREWS WILL BE LISTED BY THE DATE. THEY ARE BY CREW AND A FEW ARE INDIVIDUAL AND SOME ARE GROUPED THE WAY THEY ARE ON THE WALL.
THESE PHOTOGRAPHS
HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE THUMBNAIL FORMAT IN ORDER TO SPEED UP THE DOWNLOADING.
TO THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS, TO SEE THE PICTURE BETTER, JUST CLICK
ONTO THE PICTURE AND YOU WILL GET A LARGER PICTURE WHERE YOU WILL BE ABLE
TO SEE THE NAMES. ONCE YOUR FINISHED VIEWING IF YOU USE THE CURSOR
ON THE BACK YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE VIEWING EACH PHOTOGRAPH.
SOME DAY IF I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO DOWNLOAD FASTER I WILL RETURN THE PICTURES
BACK TO THE REGULAR FORMAT.
8/24/65
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2/1/1966
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SSgt. Peter G.
VLAHAKOS
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2/10/1968
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2/28/1968
NO PHOTOGRAPH AVAILABLE
Cpl. James F. BAUCOM
5/18/1969
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1/9/2002
Shamsi, Pakistan
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PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY CAPT. KEITH WHITEHOUSE VMGR-352
| Capt. Matthew W. BANCROFT | Capt. Daniel G. McCOLLUM | GySgt Stephen L. BRYSON |
| SSgt Scott N. GERMOSEN | Sgt Nathan P. HAYS | Sgt. Jeannette L. WINTERS |
| LCpl. Brian P. BERTRAND |
9/29/1969
LtCol. Luther Albert LONO
LtCol. Lono while flying his A6A was shot down flying over Laos he was listed as being killed and his remains were never recovered. Was a great pilot and foremost who respected his crews and they respected him. We pray that his remains may be found and returned to his family.
FINALLY HOME
A U.S. Marine Corps honor guard carries the remains of Major Robert "Bob" Holder man a former navigator known to us as "Rowdy" who became a "rear seater". His A6A was shot down on a night mission November 25th 1967 over the North Vietnam port of Headphone and listed as MIA Those who knew him would like to know that his remains were found and returned to the United States March 11, 1995. This photograph was taken at Travis Air Force Base by The Associated Press
THE MARINE AIR TRANSPORT COMMUNITY IS A RATHER UNIQUE GROUP OF MARINES. THE CAMARADERIE IS ALMOST WITHOUT FAIL UNBEATABLE, THESE MARINES ARE A CLOSE GROUP. THE GROUND CREWS AND THE FLIGHT CREWS DEPEND UPON ONE ANOTHER TO GET THE WORK DONE TO KEEP THOSE AIRCRAFT IN CONDITION SO THAT THE FLIGHT CREWS CAN ACCOMPLISH THEIR ASSIGNED MISSION. THOSE NEITHER FAMILIAR NOR COGNIZANT OF WHAT THE TRANSPORTS DO I WILL TRY TO ENLIGHTEN YOU. MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT ALL THOSE BIG BIRDS IN THE SKY JUST FLY AROUND THE BLUE SKIES. THIS IS FAR FROM THIS WHEN THEY ARE ON THEIR ASSIGNED MISSIONS. IN NEARLY ALL COMBAT MISSIONS THE TRANSPORTS HAVE LANDED BRINGING IN TROOPS AND SUPPLIES, SOME TIMES BEFORE TROOPS HAVE ARRIVED. FOR THE CLOSE AIR SUPPORT TO COVER THE GROUND TROOPS, THESE AIRCRAFT ARE BEING REFUELED IN IN-FLIGHT REFUELING BY THE KC130 TANKERS. NIGHT FLARE DROPS LIGHTING THE AREA FOR THE GUN SHIPS AND USUALLY FLYING LOWER THAN SOME OF THE GUN SHIPS. AIR DROPS OF EQUIPMENT SUCH AS AMMUNITIONS AND COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT. RESUPPLYING OUTLINE AREAS WITH FOOD AND TROOPS. SMALL ARMS FIRE IS QUITE HEAVY SINCE THESE SLOW CUMBERSOME AIRCRAFT IN COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSE AIR SUPPORT AND BEING A LARGE TARGET AND THE AIRCRAFT IS HIT BY THIS FIRE. THANKFUL THAT LOCKHEED BUILT THIS PLANE SUCH AS TO REMAIN AIRBORNE AND RETURN WITHIN A FEW DAYS AFTER REPAIRS. THE TASK OF REMOVING THE WOUNDED ALONG WITH THE HELICOPTER CREWS AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED IN ACTION IS ANOTHER TASK THAT HAS TO BE DONE AND WITH A HEAVY HEART AS THESE ARE OUR BROTHERS THOUGH WE MAY NOT KNOW THEM PERSONALLY THEY ARE UNITED STATES MARINES. WITH THIS MIND IT IS THE REASON THAT WE ARE CALLED THE "THE POLICE FORCE OF THE WORLD".
I WOULD LIKE AT THIS TIME TO THANK CHRIS DOWNEY AND JIM "BLACK CLOUD" VELETTO IN HELPING ME LOCATE THE NAMES AND DATES.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED ON LEARNING MORE OF THE MARINE CORPS AIR TRANSPORT THERE IS AN ORGANIZATION CALLED THE MARINE CORPS AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION. THIS GROUP HAS APPROXIMATELY 700 MEMBERS. THIS GROUP IS OPEN TO ALL FORMER TRANSPORT PERSONNEL REGARDLESS OF MOS OR RANK IF INTERESTED IN JOINING OR INFORMATION THEY CAN BE REACHED BY GOING TO THE WEBSITE LISTED BELOW
"The Free Eagle"
by "Van Van the Marine Corps Man" Bob Van Nostrand
Oh, how I cherish those days of yore
Those props on wing, 2 maybe 4.
Cutting, slicing, spiraling the air,
Pulling us forward to a destination, out there.
Lulled into dreamland by the engines’ calming purr,
The earth, far below, appearing as a blur.
Thrust voiding drag, to us, our engines gift,
As gravity is ignored by a wing spans gentle lift.
‘Twas the fortunes of fate that allowed me to fly,
to soar towards the heavens in Gods blue sky.
Oh yes, thousands of hours I’ve spent there,
In the clouds, in turbulence and the calm clean air.
But the clock has kept ticking and time has marched on,
And the days of flying for my Corps are now gone.
My memories are clear as I look to the sky,
And I’m warmed the times I did get to fly.
I’m saddened by the thought I won't fly again,
Before God schedules me for that last RON.
But I give thanks for the life that was afforded me,
And the times,
like an eagle, that I felt so free.
I am sure that all of you who know Van Van the Marine Corps man know of his poetic talent. The latest one that he sent me seems to put a reminder to those of us who flew any Flare Drops
ODE TO AN AUGMENTATION CREW
It was dark and dreary that Vietnam night
when the Aug crew launched toward a Red SAM sight.
With 300 flares, they were loaded for bear
and the Commies all knew that they'd soon be there.
The crew was determined, with sneers on their face
when the ramp door opened and the chute put in place.
They arrived on station at Twenty O Five.
The ground troops called, "Thank God you've arrived."
"This is it", they thought when they ceased their climbing.
Their flares must be dropped with split second timing.
"Stand by" growled the pilot, “Stand by with four"
and the fuses were pulled and thrown to the floor.
All hands were silent, and the night was so dark
while the crew in the rear awaited the Mark.
"Mark" said the pilot in a voice loud and clear.
"Mark four,” he shouted, "We'll drop them right here."
Down the chute the flares did go
Chutes open, ignition, the ground bright below.
The crew all knew they had given their best
When the troops below reported, "You're nine miles west"
"Come east" they cried, "You'll see a small town,
the enemy is there and he's pinning us down."
"No Sweat", said the pilot, "A minor correction,
and we'll drop all you want right on that section."
"Stand by,” screamed the pilot "Stand by with ten."
And now the stage was set - once again
"Mark them all" came the word "save our boys in the mud."
Out they all went - nothing happened - every one was a dud.
And so it went for the rest of the night
Standing By and Marking for a nine-hour flight
Three hundred Flares slid down the chute
Although most were ineffective, one was a beaut.
It never ignited until reaching the ground
That was the best one, it leveled the town.
So the Aug crew flew home, smiling as they went
Mission accomplished - Three Hundred flares spent...
by van 1967
Above photograph is the illustrious and talented Van Van the Marine Corps Man now all should know him or how ugly he looks
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