Camp Fuji Fire-24 Years Ago Today

[Gene Moore]

Here is a pictures I took at the Fuji fire,the next day. I have more. I hope this will not bother anyone.

[stephie23]

My brother Gregory Hassel was one of the marines in the hallway, I heard from the guys who made it to Fort Sam Houston, they let Greg just lay there. We called the hospital and the person on the phone said" You just better get here quick: We never made it to Japan, but got to Texas Asap. He died on 11-6-79 in Texas. He loved the Marines. Maybe you helped my little brother Gregory, course he wasnt so little, he was a mean hard Marine. But the effects of fire, burn wound sepsis and pnemonia is what finally killed him. Thank you for anything and everything you did. I am sure your love provided comfort and relief and hope to those you touched. stephie Hassel DIllon.

PS My brother died a PFC. They promoted him just before he died. I will write to anyone about this. I had no idea so many Remember and had no idea so many still suffer. Thank you, Gregory woudl be happy and proud.

[Gene Moore]

Hello,
Yes, if Gregory was in that hallway at the Japanese hospital, then I was the one person who gave comfort to all in that hallway and latter assisted the corpsman upstairs. I continuously spoke to each Marine. It was a long dark hallway with the injured Marines lined up head to toe. I got the first marine to the hospital and sent the truck back to get more of the injured. They , the injured Marines seemed to all know my name. Sgt. Moore they would repeat over and over. I was on my hands and knees crawling to each Marine, talking to them. Am I going to live ? I would tell them yes. I prayed for each of them there on the floor. I did all I could do to help. The Corpsman that showed up did all they could. I even held a meeting of all the corpsman in the head and told them to stop crying out loud and to get with the job they knew to do. I am terribly sorry that I could not do any more than I did. I am sure that some of the injured Marine may have been taken somewhere else. Many did all they could do. I think about what happen every day and every night. I can not forget ,nor will I ever forget. If I only knew what else to do. I was there till the helicopters took them away. God bless you.

[stephie23]

Gene: You were at the place you were meant to be. You and the others did what no one else knew how or could have done, given the horrific circumstances. You cannot do more for the ones you already helped, but to forgive yourself for what you think shoudl have been done that you had no control over. You have greatly helped me and my family..we now know for sure that someone was loving our brother and son when we could not. What greater gift can you give but love? Knowing someone cared while he lay suffering, it the greatest comfort of all. Thank you.

[stephie23]

I just found this website 2 days ago and also the Camp Fuji web site. My brother PFC Gregory L. Hassel died 11-6-79, a day after his 20th birthday in Ft. Sam Houston, Brooke Army Medical Center, with his family by his side. The Army and the Marines were nothing but wonderful to all of us. You fed us, housed us and loved my little brother until his death.

Gregory had just joined the Marines in 1979 and before we knew it he was off to Japan. He loved the Marines and his goal was to be the military police.

I have been floored with the outpouring of love, pain, suffering and loyalty I have experienced here. I was completely unaware of any of this. This year will be 30 years since Greg died. Since I began this two days ago, I experienced a meltdown over the loss of my brother. I just want to hold him again. Time helped me to tuck these feelings away. I have healed to the point where I am not a walking zombie. It all came back and I was lost without him again. I have not forgotten the feelings of helplessness, fear, anger and pain for what happened to him. Watching him suffer and the other guys at Brooke suffering and the anguish in the eyes of their families; seeing only the medics' serious eyes peek over his face mask while he injected my brother. Touching only Gregs hands and cheeks so as to not hurt him or give him infection. Seeing the huge cut on the top his foot from kicking open the quonset door to get out. The night time heels clicking in the barracks hallways, hoping they did not stop at our door. Finding out how he layed in the japanese hospital flloor with the other guys, waiting for medical aid. The praying, singing happy birthday to him on 11-5-79; the bargaining with God, the friend who took me on the roof of the hospital- it was his spot and he shared it with me. My mother, who never recovered; my sister whose live changed because of Greg and my father, who was there with his son.

Being catholic, I prayed every night for his soul for 5 years; course, he was always good, never to hurt a soul. Having dreams of Greg coming back with bandages on sayng , "Hey Steph, Im ok. It was all a government coverup".

God Bless all of you, who through the love in your heart, have participated in this forum, and you Devildogg for its creation. I and my family, are honored to walk through your door. And Gregory thanks you also.

For those of you still suffer, find peace, our guys would not want you to suffer any more. They are in spirit and cannot be hurt again. There are many of you who helped, loved, comforted and did all you could do that was within your power- we are forever grateful to you. To the nurses who scrubbed him, even though he swore at you. We thank you, thank you for doing what we could not do.

With Love, Respect and Admiration of which I am sorry it took so long to give to you.
Stephanie Hassel-Dillon

[stephie23]

Devildogg - I have a photo of my brother Gregory Hassel for your web site. Please email me and I will send it. stephie23@sbcglobal.net. thank you

[ouchman]

Hello all,
My very good friend Philip DuPont died as a result from this tragic fire in a burn unit in San Antonio Tx. We were schoolmates at South Kent School in Ct. We graduated in 1976 together. Does anyone remember him? He was a tall fellow from Va. and he previously attended Fork Union Military Academy which I think is located in Va. We all used to call him "Big Hick".
If anyone has ANY recollection of him you can e-mail me at: dcoward@(removethis)nac.net . Thanks in advance.
respectfully,
David
And yes my last name really is Coward.

[Gene Moore]

There were so many that were hurt. We tried everything that could be done to safe him and others. Philip Dupont will not be forgotten.

[Phantom Blooper]

Devildogg - I have a photo of my brother Gregory Hassel for your web site. Please email me and I will send it.

Devildogg4ever.....AKA Don....passed away a couple of years ago.

RIP Don...Semper-Fi!

[turnerdupont]

Philip duPont was my older brother. I was only eleven years old when he died in the Fuji fire. I would welcome hearing from any of you who knew Philip and would like to share memories of him. I am not the most computer savey person. Please call me. Turner duPont (970) 824-5324 (Colorado)

[crueltiming]

just found this thread and wanted to share condolences with all who lost loved ones at fuji.wasn't there during the fire,but my BLT 3/4 hit fuji in march or april '80.those pics sure brought back some memories of the quonset huts and those kerosene stoves.i know i wasn't the only one who got the willies when they locked us down in bad weather.of course they had a new procedure after what happened before.
wish i could share my own pics,but they all got lost years ago in a flood.
ed lebron-frank
l/cpl for life