Fuji Fire Veterans

[fuji13]

I am still looking for fuji fire veterans, those who were at Camp Fuji @ the time of the fire. October 19th 1979. I was a squadleader with 81s. Please view our Fuji Fire 2/4 site: http://devildogcountry.proboards.com/index.cgi Presently working on many things to keep our Memory of our Fallen Brothers Alive. I recently returned from the 30th Fuji Fire Memorial. if any questions contact me @ the site. Thank You and Semper Fi. :flag::marine:

[azteca50]

Hi I was a Lance Corporal with INDIA Batry Artillery, I have some pictures from the fire while the fire was going on a friend of my, Corporal Portillo took these pictures and he sold them to me, since I was busy taking brothers to the Japanesse hospital, I sure would like to know other that were there on that dreadful day, my E-mail is bhz232@aol.com, My name is Juan Bohorquez

[ameriken]

There was another thread on this where you may be able to locate some Marines who were there......good luck and Semper Fi!

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10380&highlight=fuji+fire

[Gene Moore]

Hi. I was in charge of the Ammo. Techs. I was there. Sgt Moore. I still dream of the fire and the hospital.

[newton8124]

I couldve sworn Hotel battery (2/12) was attached to BLT 2/4 at Fuji on that deployment.

[Gene Moore]

I can't recall what units were there. I don't know or can recall the outfit I was assigned to. All I know is, I was in charge of ammo techs, and we worked up at the ammo dump. I was assigned from,...

[Huss Echo]

I was there long before the fire, but I can only imagine how it may have happened. I did two tours cold weather training, 1961 and 1962.
At that time we lived in pram tents, 4 to a tent. The tents were heated with JP5, dripping into the stove. We were required to turn the stoves off at around 2200, and took turnn's lighting them at aroundd 0400. We didn't, luckily, have any incidents.
Was that situtaion, the stoves in the tents, a cause of the fire?
Just curious.

[sobrdj41]

I was in my Quonset hut that day when someone opened the door & yelled that there was a fire outside coming this way. I was reading in my bunk with just my Cammy bottoms & a t-shirt on. I stuck my feet in my boots & went out of the door on the lower end of the camp. we were in the last row of Quonset huts at the lower end of the camp closest to the base camp in the 3rd hut from the main road that went up past the Chow Hall. I don't know why but when I went out of the hut I started to head between the buildings toward road between our hut & the second row of huts, & as I reached the road the hut right in front of me blew up like a giant Fireball. I immediately turned around & ran, jumped of the retaining wall & headed toward the base camp. As I was jumping off the retaining wall the hut two doors down (which was the first hut you passed as you entered the camp) blew up. That was the hut that my LT. & Gunny stayed in. They had just left the hut as it blew up. I & another member of my platoon (we were from 3rd Combat Engineer Battallion), David Brown ran toward the base camp & as we ran the fuel & water washed the ground out from under our feet. At least three times I was neck deep in fuel thinking I was about to catch fire. As we reached the base camp we turned around & saw that everyone was heading toward the Japanese Hangar. We made our way to the hangar & caught up with our Platoon. I saw one Marine fully Char cooked that day & there isn't a day that goes by that I don't remember the events of that day. Thank-you for this site. No one from my Platoon died that day, but my sympathies go out to everyone that lost a loved one that day. Semper Fi.

[tmoquin]

I Was There Our Plt Sargeant(staff Sgt.johnson )came In Our Hut,told Us Not To Go Anywhere Because Of The Typhoon Not Even 2-3min Later He Comes In And Yells To Everybody To Get The **** Out
We All Got Out As Fast As We Could ,did Not Grab Anything As
I Got Out The Door I Look Up The Hill I Could See Like A River Of Fire Coming Down.our Hut Went Up In Flames The Only Thing I Salvaged From The Fire Was My Dog Tags,when I Ran Out I Forgot
My Tags On The Rack Post ,thanks To Staff Sgt Johnson ,
A Vietnam Vet ,he Save Our Lives Weapons Plt Echo 2/4 0331
The Date Oct 19 I For Some Reason Cannot Forget And The Choppers That Flew The Whole Night Taken Out The Bodies
Where Ever You Are Brothers, Rest In Peace

[kfahren]

I was a machine gun section leader with Golf 2/4 weapons platoon! It was a day I'll never forget. Just got paid and waiting for liberty call with no where to go anyway because of typhoon Tip. A lot i don't remember. I don't know why, but maybe that's a good thing. Sgt Terry was our platoon sgt then. Hey if any of you remember me please email me. Sgt Fuga, Cpl. Moss, cpl wilkenson, etc. My name is Cpl Fahrendorff. kevndeb@sunflower.com Semper Fi Brothers Kevin

[swgardener]

I was a dragon with Weapons Co 2/4. We were suppose to have a 17 mile hump that day. The typhoon shut us down. Weapons Co had the most casualties that day.
For those who don't remember the fuel bladders from on top of the camp bursted under the pressure of the winds. We had high water and the fuel was carried down on top. It was rolling in to our huts. We had these old drum heaters. Oil burners. The water and fuel ran in and poof just took off. The middle of the camp was hit the hardest. We lost some great guys. Almost every night for 2 weeks we had formation to announce a loss.
It was a really hard event for all of us. I was only a Marine for 8 months. Semper fi to all our brothers...

[nightstalker2]

I was with 3/4 India co. weapons platoon, send for the clean-up we had just left from there, when the storm hit Camp Hansen, But soon we were back on Fuji to clean-up and assisted I suffered from chilblains being out there smelling the burnt earth and huts. it was one of many incidents I encountered in the Corps. I heard and read that they send all hurt and badly burned people to Texas burn center.

[AEvansBlessed]

I am still looking for fuji fire veterans, those who were at Camp Fuji @ the time of the fire. October 19th 1979. I was a squadleader with 81s. Please view our Fuji Fire 2/4 site: http://devildogcountry.proboards.com/index.cgi Presently working on many things to keep our Memory of our Fallen Brothers Alive. I recently returned from the 30th Fuji Fire Memorial. if any questions contact me @ the site. Thank You and Semper Fi. :flag::marine:
Thank you my brother for keeping this memory alive because there are so many people here in the US that never knew that this fire even happened. As 32 years have come and gone some of us still carry the hurt and pain of that day. I worked in the BLT 2/4 S-4 Office and now live on the East Coast and each year I stop on Oct 19 at 1300 and offer a prayer of Thanks for one more year. Please keep in touch my e-mail address is Aevans97@nc.rr.com. SEMPER FI

[RockingRobin69]

I had a friend that went on "float" during this time. As was often the case, for whatever reasons, most of the floats were cut short after they hit P.I. & maybe Bangkok or Singapore they headed north to Mt Fugi. He told me he had just finished taking a shower & when he exited the building, he stepped into a fluid up to his ankles & it smelled like fuel. Right after that, everything blew to hell as that JP5 hit those kerosene stoves that was used in the huts. Marines were badly burned & were evaced out. I found out later, most were sent to the Shriner's burn hospital in Texas. My friend returned safe & sound & soon afterwards I left Okinawa after many years. My thoughts go out to the families of all who were involved & more to the Marines that died in this tragic accident. Semper Fi!!!

Robin... :flag:

[marine1infidel]

My name is Ki Smith, I was on guard duty at the fuel dump on the morning of the fire, it is my fault the marines were killed. I did not do my duty as a marine , I let my brothers down that day,I failed them. I want to apologize to the families of the marines who died that day, Im so so sorry for what I did. Ki Smith

[kfahren]

I posted earlier, and I know this was a small group of marines. If anyone remembers me I was with Golf 2/4 weapons platoon. I was a 0331 machine gun section leader. My name is Cpl. Kevin Fahrendorff from Bloomington, MN. Semper Fi my brothers

[fuji13]

Calling all Fuji Brothers 2/4 etc.
From October 19,1979
Leave message and will get back to all.
Semper Fi Brothers Ooohrahhhh

[Hector157]

I was a young corporal with Echo company 2/4 and was at the fire. My name is Hector Lozada.

[Rabbit 2531]

I was at Camp Pendleton, in the early 80's, knew a guy by the name of Al Higureda who was there at the fire. Just thinking about the stories he told gives me chills to this day. Still pray for those who lost their lives, and for you all who survived. To Ki Smith, earlier who posted that it was his fault...it's not your fault, it was an act of God, a typhoon that swamped the fuel bladder and pushed fuel down to burning heaters. Don't blame yourself man.

[Rherrera13]

My brother my name is Robert Herrera at the time I was in Camp Fugi, year 1979 I was in Hotel Battery and I'm in search of my fellow marine brothers.

[Rherrera13]

I was in Camp Fugi in 1979 in Hotel Battery. I'm finding it very hard coping with everyday life the flashbacks of my fellow Marines has left a depressed mode in my life.

[smith1811]

I was there in 77. I was out and home when i heard of the fire. Knew where those bladders were and could see how it happened. RIP all who died and God Bless those who got out.

[Rey]

Hang in there, I'm cpl. Salinas from hotel company 2/4 horrible hogs. I loaded and drove many of the injured to three different Japanese hospitals.

[MrsDoc]

Hello to all Fuji Fire '79 Survivors, my husband Michael Skinner was a Medical Corpsman who medically attended the many victims that horrible night. I am looking for the Reader's Digest article that documented the details. I can not seem to get it with online searches. Our family is working with VA services to get him some additional care, etc and hoping that article plus other info might help him get the correct services that he requires now and in the future. Best of health to you all and many thanks in advance for any additional information. "MrsDoc"