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I REMEMBER.........


USMCRECON
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Memorial Day is always a difficult holiday for me. It's a great excuse for a day off work for family fun and relaxation. Unfortunately, I think the real reason fore Memorial Day has become clouded over the years. However, to those who have "seen the elephant" and to those who have lost friends, or loved ones in the service of our country (and to many on this forum as well), the true meaning of Memorial Day still burns brightly.

 

I may not may not be on the computer again before heading down to The Wall with a Marine buddy early Monday morning so I thought I''d go ahead and post this small and totally inadequate remembrance of brother Marines. They still live in my heart and my memory even though it's been some 40-41 since they left us. I was not sure where to put this. I would have rather put it somewhere more visible but this seems the only place where this sort of subject won't get in the way of other spercific subjects.

 

I REMEMBER.....

 

.....PFC Arthur Willie Green, KIA 20 Jan 67. Our recon team was on a hilltop, calling in an artillery mission on a large group of NVA moving through the valley below. A "short round" from the Marine artillery battery at An Hoa landed right inside the team perimeter. Willie was standing, looking through the binoculars into the valley at the time and was split from sternum to pelvis; killed instantly by the exploding 105mm round. Our entire team was wounded.

 

.....1Lt Eric Barnes and SSgt Godfried Blankenship, KIA 26 Mar 67. LT Barnes was awaiting his rotation flight home and volunteered to lead one last recon patrol. SSgt Blankenship was next to LT Barnes when one a command-detonated mine went off, badly wounding both of them. Both bled profusely and their veins collapsed. When they got to Charlie Med at Danang, the trauma team gave them plasma but the interior walls of their collapsed blood vessels had stuck together. When the plasma opened them, pieces tore loose, worked into their lungs and both died in the trauma tent.

 

.....PFC Michael Ray Smith, KIA 13 May 67. Mike and I had gone to Recon School together. He was on patrol with another team moving in low brush on the side of some nondescript hill in the Hiep Duc Valley. A Platoon of NVA ambushed the team and Mike took two AK-47 rounds in the back and one in the chest. He died in the dirt waiting for the dust-off.

 

.....PFC Erwin Lovell, KIA 14 May 67. When I close my eyes, I can still see Erwin. He'd been badly burned in a fire as a child and bore terrible scars over his entire upper body. He went through Marine Recon School with Mike Smith and me. On the evening of 14 May, on a patrol near Chu Lai, he heard the NVA moving through the jungle attempting to locate the team night lager and he threw a grenade at the sound. Unfortunately, it hit a tree and bounced back into the team position and landed near him. He could not find it in the dark and it detonated, killing him.

 

.....HM2 Michael Laporte, KIA 2 Sep 67 (official sources state 5 Sep). Mike had hair so blond it was bleached almost white by the Vietnamese sun. He was a rather short, easy-going, likable guy and a 'numba one' Corpsman. He volunteered to be the Doc for a parachute insert patrol into Happy Valley. Literally crawling with VC and NVA, it was ANYTHING but a happy place for the Marines of 1st Recon. On the night of 2 Sep 67, the team departed the C-7 and all had good chutes but Doc's parachute started drifting away from the stick. He was last seen going into the heavy triple-canopy jungle. Recon patrols searched the area of his disappearance from several weeks but "Doc" Laporte was gone without a trace and has never been found and I wear hid POW/MIA band to this day.

 

.....LCpl Ronald F. Kitzke, KIA 27 Dec 67. He was a close friend since Marine Boot Camp. Our mission was to stop on a small hilltop on Charlie Ridge overlooking Happy Valley and interdict any enemy with artillery fire. I was on the OP team and Ski was with the security element. He heard movement in the brush and looked down the trail thinking it was the observation element returning to the perimeter. He was met by a three-round burst from the AK-47 of a rifleman of the approaching NVA platoon. Two rounds entered his open mouth and ripped out through the back of his neck on either side of his spine. The third one entered his upper chest just below the neck and exited the middle of his back. It took over two hours of artillery fire, air support, and finally an AC-47 to quell the NVA assault enough to get a helicopter in to extricate our 8-man recon team. The damage done by the three 7.62mm rounds was severe and there was no way to stop the bleeding deep in Ski’s throat. Despite the valiant efforts of Doc Highum, Ski bled to death on the floor of the CH-46, on the way to Charlie Med.

 

.....HM-3 Robert Louis Tracey, KIA 18 Jan 68. He was part of an 8-man recon team patrolling the bush in a location I no longer remember. The NVA sprung an ambush, dropping the point man and machine-gunner with small arms and a Chi-Com claymore and Doc unhesitatingly ran forward to the sound of the gunfire. The NVA knew as well as the Marines that the Corpsman would come to his wounded buddies and they waited for him. He was killed in the hail of gunfire he knew would be awaiting him as he dropped to the side of the wounded point man.

 

.....LCpl Michael G. Murdock, KIA 1 Feb 68. Mike was the team radio operator and, as the Ch-46 circled and descended to the LZ, Mike suddenly disappeared in a flash of light and spray of body parts. An RPG, fired from a concealed NVA position on the ground, came through the side porthole of the helo and detonated on Mike's rucksack/radio. The helo crashed but, luckily, no one else was killed.

 

.....Sgt James John (JJ) Jones, KIA 3 Jul 68. JJ left 2nd Platoon to take another recon team. On 3 Jun 68, he was leading that team to a patrol area in Elephant Valley. As the CH-46 was approaching the steep-sided landing zone, it came under intense fire. Both pilot and co-pilot were hit and the bird went down. As the Recon Marines in the second helo tried to return fire, they watched in horror as JJ's helo careened down the steep slope of the ridge in a fireball. The flight crew and all four Recon Marines aboard were killed. A reaction team later recovered the burned bodies and brought them to 1st Med Bn in Danang. The only way to identify J.J.'s charred remains was by his rather large and unusually shaped nose, which was somehow still relatively intact.

 

.....Cpl Tony Velez. You won't find Tony's name on The Wall. He didn't die in Vietnam but was killed as a result of his service there as sure as if by an NVA bullet. Tony was hit in the side by two Ak-47 rounds during the same action that killed Mike Smith, though he recovered from the physical wounds. Tony was KIA in September of 1990 when he could no longer stand the pain, both physical and emotional, and he took his own life.

 

.....LCpl Fred Brisch is also not on The wall. Freddie departed Vietnam in early spring of 1967 and went back to Illinois where he became a police officer. Like Tony Velez, memories of seeing and experiencing too much pain and suffering in too short a time became unbearable. Some 10 years after leaving the NAM, Fred "smoked" the barrel of his police revolver.

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IMPERIAL QUEST

Your words could not ring more true; you have my utmost respect. Although I know the horrors of war, pain, suffering and loss will never leave you, I sincerely hope that you have managed to make room in your heart for peace in some small measure. You, and the heroes listed, are what makes this country great. God bless you.

 

 

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Bill,

This Memorial Weekend I will tell my little ones the names and stories about your fallen brothers. I will also tell them not to be sad because they will always be guarding the streets in heaven.

 

It is honorable of you to remember them, I would guess that even some of their family don't take the time of day to remember them even for a moment. I will have a cigar and drink for everyone of your buddies.

 

Semper Fi,

Enrique

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jeremiahcable

Bill, on this holiday I'll raise my pipe and pint in memory of your fallen brothers. May they rest in peace.

 

S/F,

Jeremiah

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Well stated and very poignant. Thanks for sharing your past with us. I'm sure most of us just don't realize the true sacrifice you and your generation made in Vietnam. It should be a cause for reflection for us in our hobby that the memorbilia we collect reflects much blood shed by others. My hat is off to you and your fallen comrades.

 

-Ski

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Brian Keith

I remember Sergeant Major Jeffery A. Mclochlin, he served in Operation Just Cause in Panama with 2/75th Ranger Battalion.

Killed in Action, by hostile small arms fire, July 5, 2006, near Orgun-e, Afghanistan while serving on active duty in the Indiana National Guard, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Mac was my squad leader and then my platoon sergeant when I served in A Co., 1/293rd Infantry, Indiana National Guard. I was not there. I was at his funeral.

 

I remember Master Sergeant Michael Hiester, killed by an anti-tank mine, March 26th, 2005, Logar Province, 24 miles south of Kabul, Afghanistan. He was serving with HQ Co. 76th Infantry Brigade, Indiana National Guard on active duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Mike had also been one of my squad leaders and was a "full timer" at my local armory when I was in A Co., 1/293rd Inf. I was not there. I was at his funeral.

 

SFC Brian K. Williamson

Indiana Military Academy

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This family will never forget the sacrifices of our soldiers. God bless them all!

Arch

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Bill,

Thank you for sharing your memories and tribute to your fallen friends.The bag pipes will be playing in honor of you and your comrades both past and present this weekend.

 

Thank you for all of your sacrifices and many years of service.Thankyou for your fallen comrades ultimate sacrfice in the service of the nation.

I humblely say thankyou for my freedom.

 

SEMPER FI

 

RON

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I don't remember who said it, and I probably have it wrong, but I think an appropriate sentiment would be: "We should not be sad that these men died, but instead we should be thankful that they lived."

 

This weekend I will remember, among many others:

 

Corporal Howard D. Borts, US Army, World War I (My paternal grandfather).

Lt. Col. Martin J. Elle, USAF, WWII & Korea (My maternal grandfather).

Captain Richard H. Borts, USAF, Korea (My father).

 

Steve

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Salvage Sailor

As I remember my friend Lawrence 'Larry' Babyak, KIA 29NOV69 while on a rescue mission they were sucked into a .51 ambush - always remembered as 'a bad day' by B Troop of the 1/9.

"Two men of the 9th Cavalry Regiment were killed when their AH-1G COBRA gunship (hull number 68-15188) was shot down. They were attempting the rescue of a "Jaguar Yellow Bird" team about 10 kilometers west-northwest of Song Be when their aircraft was hit by .51 caliber anti-aircraft fire. The two were CW2 Lawrence Joseph Babyak, pilot, and WO1 Kenneth Alan Luse, copilot."

http://www.virtualwall.org/db/BabyakLJ01a.htm

 

CWO Larry Babyak.jpg

 

CWO Larry Babyak 02.jpg

 

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Kenneth Alan Luse

 

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Blue Platoon

 

LawrenceJBabyak001.jpeg.377222fad74ed21d962c762ff0992ebe.jpeg

 

LawrenceJBabyak004FrontRow4thfromright.jpg.aefc975c9048d10b81263c236b2414cc.jpg

 

LawrenceJBabyak006.jpg.1174642f07dcae6b7095dc4f1edef69f.jpg

 

TheRedBravoTroop19Cobra.jpg.0d68b01f919e7a752d857c40410dc731.jpg

 

CWO2LawrenceJosephBabyakinfrontofhisCobrawearinghisscarlet19thGunbandana.jpg.ebe7bd61b4423d77fd8dd842379dab91.jpg

 

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My respect to you all for sharing your past here and to all those who laid down their lives for our Freedom.

 

I remember Leslie Banaka - 602nd TD Bn - who was KIA when his TD hit a Tellermine near Huldange (Luxembourg) in February 1945.

I also remember Homan Jackson - 4th AD - who was KIA on December 30, 1944 in the Bastogne area.

I adopted both their graves at the Henri-Chapelle American Military Cemetery.

 

I especially remember Harry Traynor, Richard Bowman and Walter Righton (all of the 704th TD Bn) and Kerman Sheckler (101st AB) who all survived the war but have passed away over the last few years. It was a real honor knowing them. The friendship I received from them will be in my heart till the day I die.

 

Erwin

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I popped onto the computer for a couple minutes this morning to check e-mail one last time before rolling into the weekend's activities and thought I'd drop onto the forum as well for a moment.

 

My God.....what's the matter with me? How could I have forgotten!! I must also remember my wife's uncle:

SSgt Westley M. Field was stationed at Thorpe Abbot UK with the 100th Bomb Group USAAF. His B-17 was shot down on 10 October 1943 on the raid to Munster and he was listed as missing in action. His body was discovered buried in the Ost Bevern town cemetery in 1946 and returned to the US afor burial in Lexington MA in 1947.

 

My deepest thanks to those who have expressed their kind sentiments toward all of our comrades in arms and loved ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Too bad there's not a separate thread on the Forum, even a temporary one, for Memorial Day remembrances. As long as our departed heroes are remembered, they will never be dead and gone. I sincerely hope others will post their remembrances here as well (as some have already done).

 

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An old Marine story goes like this....As newly fallen Marine (but any service could be substituted) stands before St. Peter he reports; "Another Marine reporting, Sir, I've served my time in Hell."

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They carried the flame of Lady Liberties Torch. My signature at the bottom of this post says it best.

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Semper Fi to fallen these Marines and all fallen servicemembers.

 

I remember LCpl Nicolas B Morrison, cannon cocker, killed in action in August of 2004 by an IED in Iraq

 

I remember 'The SOI' 5. Though I never knew their names, they were in another platoon with me during SOI. Part of a reserve unit, they were sent to Iraq just three days after we graduated on January 7, 2005. Enroute to their unit, the convoy was ambushed, and an RPG hit the back of the truck they were in before they ever linked up with their unit.

 

I remember LCpl Jason L Frye of 2/2, Killed in Action October 6, 2005 by an IED in the Anbar Province, Iraq

 

I remember LCpl Joshua A Scott and Pvt Lewis T D Calapini. Originally of second squad, first platoon, Bravo Company, Anti-Terrorism Battalion, Scotty was transferred to CAAT-3. They were killed the night if January 23, 2006, when their guntruck was run off the road by an Iraqi who refused to yield to the convoy outside of TQ, Iraq.

 

I remember LCpl Jon T Hicks and Cpl Carlos Gilorozco of Task Force MSF-A, 2/9, killed in action in August of 2007 when and IED hit their gun truck in the Diyala Province, Iraq

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brandon_rss18

Bill,

 

I really dont know what too say. I would be lying if I said that I did not shed a tear while reading your post. Some might think that "unmanly" but I call it being human. While I cannot say that I have ever seen combat, I was a Medic with the fire dept. for 4 years. I stopped doing this after a call one night when a minivan was struck by an 18wheeler traveling the wrong direction down Interstate 10. I had seen those that were killed before in car accidents but this night was different. We showed up on the scene about 2:30 AM on a Saturday night. The smell of diesel fuel was overwhelming from the Rig, a smell now that I cant help but associate with death. I ran up to the van which looked like an accordion and found the Husband "smashed" against the floorboard and his Wife partially decapatated. I looked in the back and saw 3 children. This is the moment my stomach came upp in my chest. 2 of the children unfortunately were already deceased but there was a little boy, probably about 8. He was still alive but had a big piece of glass stuck in is side. I knew by the placement of the glass that it had to be in his liver. The only thing I could do was hold him in my arms as his legs were pinned by the front seat his Mother was in. I still remember it very clearly, the way he looked up at me. He had terror in his eyes and had blood running out of his mouth. I sat there with him while two of the other guys were busy extricating. He died there in my arms and I never went on another call again. To be honest I thought of "taking" my life after seeing that because a big part of me felt I was responsible, that I could have done something to help him. I know that I was not in the armed service, which sometimes I regret, but I do know what it is like to see things that will haunt you for the rest of your life. I am better now and honestly feel like a better man for going through all of the calls that I attended. Some were funny, some were confusing, but the ones that stick with you are the ones that have no words to describe them. I salute you and your fellow brothers, as well as all those before and all those now that have givin the greatest sacrifice of all. This Memorial Day, I hope all those that feel appreciative of what they have and own, feel appreciative for why they have those things. God bless our troops and all those that have come before them, for without them, I would not have the Freedom to write what I am writing right now. Thank you Bill for sharing your deepest emotional points in life with us here, they are better known now by more and will NEVER be forgotten.

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80thdiv313fa

I remember my cousin:

 

Staff Sgt. Keith A. Bennett 32, of Holtwood, Pa.; assigned to the 28th Military Police Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Johnstown, Pa.; killed Dec. 11 2005 by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device in Ramadi, Iraq. RIP Keith I am honored to have known you and have been your cousin.

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Great Uncle 2nd Lt. Albert Pempek and the crew of 42-50820. 715th BS, 448BG 8th AF who were on a bombing run to Minden Germany when the plane took flak and left the formation, never to be seen again. They crashed in a field south of Billerbeck Germany. Also killed were:

 

1st Lt Frank Genarlsky

2nd Lt Walter Ford

2nd Lt Ralph O’Neil

TSgt Paul Novichenk

TSgt James McLaughlin

SSgt Joseph Yates

SSgt Lewis McMahan

SSgt Albert Cole

1st Lt Alton Kraft

 

1LT Jacob Fritz: KIA 20 Jan. 2007: With 2/377 PFAB in Karbala. Was one of four soldiers abducted by insurgents posing as government workers during a sophisticated ambush. Three of the four were found executed in a neighboring province, the fourth died en route to the CASH.

 

1LT Benjamin Britt: KIA 22 Dec. 2005 A/1-502. Hit by an IED on a dismounted patrol. Due to circumstances, his family was notified of his death on Christmas Day.

 

SSG Brian Bolander Scouts/ HHC- 502. KIA 29 APR 08, a month before his wedding. We buried him here two weeks ago.

There are more, but writing about these were tough enough

 

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Powerful...

for those who don't know, that woman's last wish was to spend one last night beside her husband. She played songs that reminded her of him and them on her laptop, and a Marine Guard stood posted throughout the night

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IMPERIAL QUEST
for those who don't know, that woman's last wish was to spend one last night beside her husband. She played songs that reminded her of him and them on her laptop, and a Marine Guard stood posted throughout the night

 

Brig,

 

I did not know the specifics behind the photo. I have been e-mailed some pretty graphic photos taken by some of my buddies overseas and they stick with you for a while, but for some reason I have not been able to shake this image since I first saw it last year. When I look at it, I feel every negative and positive emotion imaginable - all at the same time. There is so much that the photo says, almost beyond the scope of words.

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robert60446

This is very powerful picture in my eyes..."Christian Golcznski, Child of a Fallen Marine From The Iraq War Receives American Flag from Marine Lt. Col. Ric Thompson During a Military Funeral for Staff Sgt. Marcus Golczynski"

post-2829-1212024919.jpg

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  • 3 months later...
for those who don't know, that woman's last wish was to spend one last night beside her husband. She played songs that reminded her of him and them on her laptop, and a Marine Guard stood posted throughout the night

 

This image punches me in the gut & knocks me silly when I see it. I'm at work bawling.

 

The night my Father passed away, I was "called" back to work in Texas from his deathbed in North Carolina. I landed at 21 JUL 08 0001, he passed away at 0019. The thing is, the entire time my family was around, my step-mom didn't have time to spend ALONE with my father. That night, she was by herself. She climbed into the hospital bed with him and laid by his side. She woke up moments before he passed away.

 

We buried him in Arlington on 22 AUG.

 

RIP DAD

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