Never Forget Them

Comments

Rodriguez john - July 11, 2020

I was with hotel 2/8 reported to the reg. In aug of 64 right out of itr Pendleton. We had about 30days of training getting ready for steel pike 1. But I was assigned to ship plt. ,once aboard the uss gaudacanl are job was to bring equipment up from the hanger bay to flight then hook up to helo.i remember the crash. I saw when the body’s were being checked by the doctors.(bad) .latter after the op liberty in canes for a fewdays then blt ‘s liberty was secured. Problems thenback to the states Christmas and new years then the med apa frances marion. Then the 1st shirt had us sign volunteer chits for south east asia so there was a problem that need to be looked into and the rest is history. Got out at the end of my for years. But 19 mo latter back in and yup back to south east asia. Retired 1984 gunny camp Pendleton. 0311,8511,3051. One name that I remember was my bunky pfc perice duckworth. Oh yeah h2/8 1st plt 1st sqd aromatic rifleman. I am glad to have heard from grunts of steepike. OOhrah semper fi. Gunny Rod

Geary McCleery - July 11, 2020

Please 391, San Diego, 1 Oct 1964-Dec 1964. Semper Fi, once a Marine always a Marine!

Wm. Mcgrath - July 11, 2020

Well it looks like we’re having an internet reunion.I too was on Steel Pike F-2-8 3rd Plt. from 9/63 to 9/65 also on the Guadalcanal I was in the second wave of choppers. Went just to the left of the crash site. Saw a main rotor slowly turning with sun light glinting off it and smoke rising near it. Just assumed somebody popped a smoke grenade to mark a landing zone.Didn’t find out till the next day what had happened.Some of our sick,lame and lazy that didn’t make the Op. helped to put the bodies in the freezer.They picked the Guadalcanal because being the newest ship in that makeshift convoy it had the best refrigeration unit. Mr.Fellman can you verify that a chopper on the Okinawa was accidentally pushed off the elevator as the flight deck crew was trying to get all the choppers into the hanger bay prior to us running into that storm off the coast of Portugal ? We then pulled liberty in Breast, France & Portsmouth, England.At the end of the cruise we heard a total of 19 guys died, Sailor & Marine. Including a sailor on the Guadalcanal who was last seen dumping garbage off the fantail between 20:00 & 21:00 hrs. wasn’t missed till roll call the next morning. Fell- pushed ? Never knew.

Robert Atherton - July 11, 2020

Went through PISC 62 years ago. Sorry to say I can’t remember my DI’S names. But I do remember they were tough.

Louis Castello - July 11, 2020

Frank I was on that cruise with you, weapons plt. M/3/8 do you remember the helicopters crashed while in Spain.

George M Burke - July 11, 2020

Platoon 201 Parris Island fifty six years ago, my three younger brothers also followed me thru P. I. all three served in “Nam”, two in line companies, one in helicopters I still remember (vividly) my Senior D. I. Gunny John Welch and one of my Jr. D. I. S/SSgt Reeder,( one tough son of a bitch) but he did us a “favor” didn’t know it then but sure appreciated it later George M Burke gmbxusmc@live.com 314-249-8568 cell

ltokach [ Former S/Sgt. USMC ] - July 11, 2020

Is there any way to find information on your DI’s ? I would really like to know if they are still around and what ever happen to them. I was in 3rd Battalion, Platoon 357 from July 65 to October 65. Love the picture of the drill field and the mess hall, I believe there all gone now but the memories they left will last forever.

Alan Scott - July 11, 2020

I was a San Diego Marine and I graduated with Plt. 376 ( Aug-Nov ’64), so I was in that series if you are referring to San Diego. Semper Fi Marines.

Kent Valandra - July 10, 2020

I was a Hollywood Marine but know you are a good man! Hang in there Marine.

Frank Fellman - July 10, 2020

Steelpike also… USS Okinawa – LPH3. Liberty in La Pallice and La Rochelle, France, and Plymouth, England… Shore Patrol duty 10Nov64 in La Rochelle.