Koh Tang Mayaguez Vets Organization Guest Book

COMMON GRAVE HEADSTONE UPDATE:
Received an email from Tim Trebil who has been in contact with Arlington Cemetery staff. Tim says that before the headstone can be erected, all families must sign-off on it. Apparently, there are two families who have yet to do so. Tim further says that he will followup with Arlington. Case solved! What a great bunch of guys, thanks to everyone.
Semper Fi,
Edd

Thansk for this share page great

Brothers,
In a recent email from Sara Johnson, sister of Andy Garcia (KIA Knife-31,) I was informed that no permanent headstone has yet been erected on the common grave from the funeral on 15 May 2013. Sara was in Washington on business, went to visit the grave and was shocked to find the same temporary paper markers left from the funeral. It has been over TWO YEARS. Does anyone have any information as to why a headstone has not yet been placed? If no reason can be discovered, I think that it is imperative that we find out why not, and rectify the situation post haste. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
"Saepe Expertus, Semper Fidelis, Fratres Aeterni"
"Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever"
Edd Prothro, MSgt Retired, USMC

Saw a comment on facebook today about this operation. I was serving in the Army near Nakon Phanom, Thaiand, then. I was assigned to a remote signal site on top of a mountain near the Laos border. There were 3 US military assigned there as advisers to the Thai Security Forces. I was on duty the night the Jolly Green went down with the Air Force Security Policemen. I remember the operation well and commend you all for your actions.

...truly! ...someone should talk with Tom Hanks.

This amazing, incredible, and way under-told story should be made into a movie... it would be a blockbuster on the order of Saving Private Ryan.

Great article in this months Legion magazine, written by Dan Hoffman!

I was watching a documentary about the landing on Koh Tang and really was not paying attention, then I heard a voice and I recognized it. Looked at the tv and it was Gunnery Sargent Lester Mc Nemar. He was my senior drill instructor at Parris Island Platoon 171, Is that video available and is he still around? He was awesome, A leader, I still look up to him and the other drill instructors.

SAD TO REPORT: GYSGT Lester McNemar (Gunny Mac) passed away on 12 July 2002 and is laid to rest in Gwinnett Memorial Park, Lawrenceville, GA.

I remember i was alone in H&S company's office everyone had gone for the day,The phone rang and it was S1 i was told to find Capt. Gutter and tell him to mount out.That was 05-13-75 the next day we were very busy,getting the company ready soon we were on our way to Thailand.Hard to believe that was 40 years ago

Thank you for your website! I am so grateful to finally be able to learn the complete and factual story of what went on during the Mayaguez battle. I was there, and flew two missions in support of the operation to get you all to safety. I was a young Ltjg and a F-4 Phantom pilot with VF-111, on USS Coral Sea. I flew once as escort for the A-7's that bombed Rheem airfield, and once to escort the photo reconnaissance RF-8 that took the photos we have all seen of the downed H-53's at the east beach. As I remember, a bunch of you guys, who were evacuated under fire, from the island, were flown out to Coral Sea, as she stood about 10 miles off from the island. You were all gathered up in "vulture's row", on the island of the ship, and were waving and cheering me on as I taxied my F-4 to the catapult and launched on the mission to go photograph Koh Tang Island, looking for any signs of any Marines still there. We drew quite a bit of fire from those little bastards, but since we kept the speed way up, it was very ineffective.
I also remember one of the H -53's being brought out to the ship while still plugged into a C-130 tanker. He was shot up so badly that he was leaking fuel out as fast as they could pump it into him. Once he landed on the ship, he was done. The helo couldn't fly off on it's own, and since it was too big to be sent below to the hanger deck, it was pushed overboard into the sea.
We knew that the Air Force was going to drop the 15,000 lb. pallet bomb called a "Daisy Cutter", and watched as it happened. I never knew what the point of that was, but it sure made one helluva big explosion.
The word we got, as guys on the bottom of the pecking order, was that although there was initially a lot of confusion as to if all of you guys got off of the beach, confusion because you were evacuated to different ships, in the end, everyone was off and accounted for. That was my understanding as we sailed away to take you guys back to Subic Bay, and it remained so for many, many years. I went on for several more years, flying in the Navy, and then as a pilot with Delta Air Lines, whom I retired from several years ago, after a thirty year career. I didn't learn that we had left three heroes behind until over 20 years after the fact, and that we did has haunted me ever since. I am so sorry, for them and their families, and I just pray that we have learned from the mistakes that were made there those days long ago.
I am so happy to see that so many of you true hero's have gotten back in touch with each other and are doing well. I thank you for your service, and the sacrifices that you made that day, and wish you all the best!
Fair winds!
Bruce Harris