Info About a 1977 Helicopter Crash - Page 6
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  1. #76
    Gloria, you always leave me speechless and in tears. Even moreso now that you have put a face to it. Bless you!!


  2. #77
    Glad you were able to download and post a picture of your husband. Glad I could help.


  3. #78
    In commemoration of October 21st, we remember.

    See the Facebook group Mindoro Island to connect.


  4. #79
    Thank you for posting, Gloria.

    We Remember them all today.

    Semper Fi.


  5. #80
    Remembering all our lost brothers 32 years ago today. Semper Fi


  6. #81
    In Remembrance of my fallen brothers who gave the ultimate sacrifice in training for the defense of our nation in Operation Fortress Lightning - Mindoro Beach, Republic of Phillipines - October 21, 1977.

    Although I didn't personally know the Marines and Sailors who lost their lives on that mountainside that swelteringly hot and humid day - I was there as part of that exercise - and I'll never forget the pall that tragedy, that took place on our (my battalion's) first full day of the Marine amphibious brigade exercise, cast over the remainder of the operation.

    My unit (HqCo., 7th Communications Battalion- 3rd MarDiv) had arrived the day before with Task Group 76 aboard the USS Barbour County LST-1195 after leaving Buckner Bay, Okinawa on (or about) October 13th.

    As a LCpl, I was a Telephone & Switchboard Repairman (2811). Having been trained for maintanence on one of the high-tech (at that time) TRC vans, I was assigned to the CP area to work inside the Communications (telephone) van. Leading up to the events of October 21st, my most vivid memory of Mindoro is that it was hot! The day we arrived, and all through that night, it was so hot and humid that I remember sweating just laying in my cot that first night trying to get some sleep. We had a tent, you know, with the mosquito netting around your cot. The mosquitos were huge malaria-carrying buggers.

    I remember being awokened that morning by the screaming sound of Harriers low-flying directly above our tents! Man...it sounded like they were about 1o feet above us! That got the juices flowing...

    When we stepped out into the sunlight...it felt like it was instantly 100 degrees plus! and 100% humidity...sticky. Fortunately for me, the van I worked in was air-conditioned! It had to be designed that way to keep the printed circuit boards cool.

    We had barely gotten started, it seems, when we heard the explosion and saw the tuft of smoke rise above the mountain. Then the news of the crash came down to us, and that lives had been lost in a helicopter crash. A pall came over the whole CP area as grim-faced Lieutenants, Captains, Warrant Officers, and Colonels seemed to instantly have more in common with Sergeants, Corporals, and Privates.

    But more than a pall...a comraderie...a resolve overcame the men taking part in that Operation...A resolve to rededicate ourselves to a man to complete that mission successfully...to do the best we could do at whatever was our assigned tasks. To not let the sacrifice of those men's lives be in vain. We grew up that day...and we bonded as a unit.

    When we were back on board ship after the mission was completed, there was a moving memorial held on the parade deck for the men who lost their lives on Mindoro.

    My prayers still go out to their families and their fellow Marines, Sailors, and friends. They died as Marines...serving their country...
    I pray you can take solace in that.
    Godspeed to those men...
    And Godspeed to you.



  7. #82

    32 years ago today.

    This is what occurred on Oct. 21st, 1977 to the best of my recollection. The exact events are clouded by the passage of time (32 years) and the fact I was a 19 y.o. kid who was probably in a mild state of shock at the time. I will omit some things out of consideration for the family and the survivors, but will tell this to the best of my ability. I will be happy to answer any questions and would be equally happy to find out from any survivors or rescuers who where there what happened. I have one picture of the helo pad they cut out on the ridge above the ravine where I was and will post that along with this story.

    I was 2nd platoon Corpsman for Kilo Co. 3/4, 3rd Mar. Div. We were the aggressors for Operation Fortress Lightning in 1977. We were bivouacked on a hill top about 1300 meters from where the helicopter crash occurred. I did not see the helicopter go down but guys on the other side of the hill started shouting that a helicopter had crashed. I grabbed my Unit 1 and began running along the ridgeline to the top of the ravine where the crash had occurred. My Company Commander was there and he said they were waiting for the fuel tanks to explode before going down. I said we should go down anyway and we started down. It was steep going but it was made a little easier because we were following a creek bed that had formed "steps" that were about 5 to 8 feet high. We had not gone very far down when we began to see fairly large trees snapped off. We apparently went down the way the helicopter had crashed down. Because of our route, we encountered several of the survivors. I'm not sure where the Capt. was/went but I found a survivor who was in amongst the branches of a fallen tree. He was conscious but had compound fractures of the arm and leg. I bandaged and splinted those and then was joined by another Corpsman who I left the survivor with and then moved down the hill.
    I next encountered 3 more survivors a little ways down the hill. They were all in about a 15-20 foot area of each other and were on the right side of the ravine in a fairly clear area(rock slide area?). I checked over the first man who was not bleeding and had no obvious injuries but complained of back pain. I tried to get him more comfortable by moving some of the rocks he was laying on. The next guy was a a corpsman who was burned on his hands and arms. He had no other obvious injuries although I think he also complained of back pain. I also checked over another survivor who was just a couple of feet down from him who also appeared to have no obvious injuries but also complained of back pain.
    I then moved down the hill a few meters to another (Marine?) who had an obvious chest wound and was probably in shock and was combative and belligerent as I tried to treat him. I dressed his chest wound and tried to calm him down. I can't remember seeing any other rescuers until about the time I was finishing with the last survivor I encountered. I stayed with him until someone brought a stretcher down and I helped carry him up the hill to the ridge top where a helo pad had been carved out of the jungle. I left him there and went back down the hill side. I saw several other corpsman from the BAS and ship's company that I recognized with the survivors I had first encountered. They had bandaged the corpsman's hands and had I.V.'s going. I continued further down the ravine from where I had found the last survivor and encountered a Marine Officer and 2 other marines who asked me to assist carrying a deceased Marine. We carried him back up the hill I had just come down.
    Once back on the ridgeline I realized that I had used all the supplies in my Unit 1 and that I was exhausted. I don't know how long I had been at the crash scene but it seemed to me that it was late afternoon or very early evening when I had made my second trip from the bottom. I then made my way along the ridgeline of the ravine and made my was back to the hill top where my platoon was camped.
    I was interviewed a couple of months later by a Marine Corps Officer about one of the survivors I had treated. I just told him what I had seen. I heard later that perhaps a tree had fallen on one of the survivors as he was being hoisted out by a helicopter. I never heard anything further.
    I was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal and the citation makes it sound like I did something remarkable or heroic. I just did my job like lots of other people that day. I hope I did something that was of benefit to the guys who survived the crash.

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  8. #83

    Helo Crash in Mindoro

    I too remember that horrible day in Mindoro. I was a Captain Judge Advocate and one of the two claims officers for the 9th MAB, the control group for Operation Fortress Lightning. We had been in the Province of Mindoro Occidental (The island of Mindoro contained two Provinces: Occidental, the western half, and Oriental, the eastern half.) for about 4 weeks prior to the operation performing a MedCap, DentCap and engineering services for the local government. The provincial capital was Mamburao. We were set up outside the town in a tent city.
    As claims were submitted by the locals for damages, I would adjudicate and pay. Every few days I would fly to Cubi Point to obtain more pesos. It was unwise to keep too much cash in the field. In fact the day before the incident, I flew from Cubi Point to our LZ on Mindoro on what I was later told was the CH 53 that went down. The squadron (?) number painted on the front of the bird was 00. The crew called it "double nuts". Maybe someone can confirm this.
    My recollection is a bit different from some of the other writers. My recollection is that the crash took place just after the exercise had concluded. The flight was an extraction to bring the aggressors out of the field. It was an administrative, not a tactical flight. Some of what I am about to write may also not agree with others' recollections. I cannot vouch for the accuracy of these statements, but this is was some of us were told in the base camp by others at the scene. But this tracks with the explanation that the aviator gave in his summary of the accident investigation.
    The Marines and corpsmen at the pick up point were divided into "sticks" or helo teams of "X" men. That may have been 10 or so in number. That was standard operating procedure. When the helo landed the officer on the ground (we were told it was a Lt.) sent a helo team aboard. A crew man (we were told that it was one of the pilots) signaled to load another helo team and then another. Then the bird lifted and hovered over the water buffalo. There must have been a Helicopter Support Team (Shore Party) on the ground because I believe they are the ones trained to hook up the water buffalo externally. We were told that when the bird then tried to leave it lost its antitorque capability because it was overloaded for the heat, altitude and humidity conditions at the LZ. It started sliding down the mountainside, throwing out passengers.
    I can recall seeing the smoke rise from our camp, a few thousand meters away. Then I recall seeing a number of helos hovering above the smoke like humming birds. I say that because we heard that an injured marine had been propped up against a tree. He was later mortally injured when the tree fell over because of the prop wash of the hovering helos. Another unintended tragedy on the horrible day. I know that there were valiant efforts taken at all levels to care for the survivors and recover the victims with dignity. They were our brothers.
    One of the immediate tasks for those who were not involved in the rescue and recovery activities was to determine who was on the bird. A first cut was to determine who was still in the field. I was tasked with the surrealistic job of taking a roll call at our camp. I recall standing in front of a formation of Marines from Kilo and Lima 3/9 with a clip board and calling our names, knowing that every Marine or corpsman who was not at our camp could have been on that bird. I do recall that quick and accurate identification of the survivors and victims was an issue. And I am sure that had an effect on friends and family back home.
    A few days later I was fling back to Cubi and I was loaded in a CH 46 for the trip. In the center of the cargo area was one of the engines from the 53, being transported to the rear as part of the investigation. It was a grim reminder of the dangerous profession we had chosen. It was a somber flight to the base.
    Thank you for allowing me to add another perspective to this incident. I mention it to fellow Marines and others as a tragic day. But it has been enlightening and uplifting to read the other accounts of those touched by the tragedy.



  9. #84

    ch-53 crash 1977 Mindoro

    I stumbled onto this site while looking into the days. Anyway I was with 2/3 out of Hawaii, Cpl Enlow comm man for Echo company. We where waiting return to our ship the USS Duluth, in a canyon to the side of this crash. I was taking message traffic and watched the whole thing take place. Its been a little while, however if anyone is interested in my account.

    keith@yjdrilling.com

    602-696-5734

    ALWAYS FAITHFULL


  10. #85
    Thanks everyone, i didn't think anyone else was out there. After 32 years i stll see the faces, and countless bodybags. It was a horrific day i shall never forget.


  11. #86
    Yes, there are a lot of us out here-- see:
    http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/g...d=156185791023


  12. #87
    butting in... was Jason Robinson in that crash? i'm just looking for him for years.


  13. #88
    Welcome aboard Jeff. Here's the manifest of those in the crash. Good luck finding your friend. Semper Fi


    Quote Originally Posted by september 23 View Post
    In memory of those lost and injured on October 21. 1977

    (based on govt report, if any errors please correct)

    CREW HMH – 462

    Crapse, John L., Capt
    Gehardt, George M., Capt.
    Casey, William Sgt.
    Anderson, Charles, Sgt.

    PASSENGERS – USMC Alpha

    Aguirre, F R LC PL
    Baker, A R LC PL
    Bauer, J R PFC
    Bennett, R N C PL
    Bowman, Steve R LC PL
    Brinkley, K W PFC
    Dicag, A R CPL
    Ernsberger Jr., L H CPL
    Fitspatrich, M L LC PL
    Hallam, O or O,Hallam CPL
    Jones, B I PFC
    LaFferre, M A PFC
    Layne, H L LC PL
    Quiane, M L LC PL
    Schwartz, K K PFC
    Smith, D G SGT
    Suda, A LC PL
    West, J L LC PL
    Wright, D A PFC

    PASSENGERS – USMC Bravo
    Holman, E C PFC
    Workman, J F SSGT
    Jacobson, G J CPL
    Morris, E J PFC
    Fernald D G LC PL
    Hancock, D G LCPL
    Hathway, A W PFC
    Kane, M PFC
    Lane, E N PFC
    Criega, R S LCPL
    Ward, G J PFC
    Perry, R G PFC


    PASSENGERS – USN
    Baxter, W C HA

    Dolan, S R HN


    Exercise Fortress Lightning, October 21, 1977



  14. #89
    if you were 7th comm camp hansen then you know me i am cpl henderson for div adj ncoic every month every comm center had to pick up crypto codes from me at my vault on the hill at camp courtney i was on that exercise and on the uss new orleans


  15. #90
    Quote Originally Posted by jhenderson View Post
    if you were 7th comm camp hansen then you know me i am cpl henderson for div adj ncoic every month every comm center had to pick up crypto codes from me at my vault on the hill at camp courtney i was on that exercise and on the uss new orleans
    Hey, Cpl Henderson. Semper Fi, my brother! I was a telephone tech, but I never made the trip to the vault. Wasn't there also a electronic calibration shop at Camp Courtney, where they calibrated oscilloscopes and other testing equipment? Or was that Camp Butler? We made a run down there one day to drop off some equipment and pick up some other. It was there I ran into one of my hometown buddies who I had gone through junior and senior high school with! Neither of us had known the other had enlisted in the Corps, and here we were, meeting up with each other halfway around the world; both of us Marines! Maybe you knew him, Cpl. Jeff Stockard...I think he was also a 2811?

    Whether or not we ever met face to face, I feel I know you just the same!

    The weirdest thing. When that crash happened, one of the things I wondered at the time, was would it ever be reported in the news back in the world. Weird.


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