Koh Tang Mayaguez Vets Organization Guest Book

My Brothers,Thank you for your
Service,Suffering and Sacrifices.
Past,Present and Future.
May the Good Lord let you know Peace.

Richard "Dick" Kearney BT3 4C Fire Room
USS Coral Sea CVA 43 1972-1975

Brothers and Sisters,
I attended the 35th year reunion at Branson and found more healing and resolving energy than I ever imagined. You all still carry a big torch for our nation. Keep the faith and have a great reunion.
I hope to see you all at the 40th next year.
Love y'all, mean it,
(then 1 Lt) Wayne Petitto, Specter Infra Red Operator.

We will not be able to attend this summer as we have just moved to another home. Our thoughts and prayers to everyone attending and where ever you might be. If your in Oregon give us a holler, we would like to see our brothers!

Hard to believe 39 years have come and gone. I live the memories of May 15 1975 every day. I wish you all God's Blessings during the 2014 Reunion.

Unfortunately I just had emergency open heart by- pass surgery and cannot travel to Branson. I hope to make the next reunion or local get together if possible.


Charlie Clark
ABF-2 USS Coral Sea CVA-43
Dec 1971 through June 1975.

I was shipped home when we pulled into Subic Bay after the Perth Australia trip.

God Bless you and keep you safe.

sorry guys will not be able to attend the reunion this time have a wedding to be at in another state.will miss being there with you but my thoughts will be of you all.just had to write this so al bailey would not come to kick my ass.semper fi to all my brothers l/cpl carl odom g. 2/9

I WOULD LIKE TO TELL AL THANKS FOR CALLING ME YESTERDAY. IT WAS THE BEST PHONE CALL I HAD IN MANY YEARS.I WAS ON THE PHONE ALL DAY TRYING TO FIND $2000 TO GO TO BRANSON BUT NO LUCK. BEING ON SSD AND THE VERY HARD WINTER HERE IN NY NONE OF MY FAMILY HAD ANY MONEY TO LEND ME. SO AS MY HEART IS HEAVY IN SORROW THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO GO IN PERSON MY SPIRT WILL BE THERE.BUT I WILL PUT MONEY AWAY FOR THE NEXT ONE FOR SURE. POLLY FROM THE USS HOLT FF 1074

I totally agree w/ur assessment on vets. unfortunately, the veterans ass. doesn't. thank u for ur answer.

To all my Mayaquez brothers and wife's,due to medical complications Pat and I, will not attend the reunion. Hope you all have a super gathering and safe returned home. May God and watch over each one you. We Love you all.

"T" and Pat Tuitele
P.S. Al I got your Kamodo dragon!

The officers and board members of our organization have been hard at work preparing for the upcoming reunion. Please do all you can to attend.

are we or we not Vietnam veterans?

In Response to above question:
Are the veterans who participated in the Mayaguez recovery / the battle of Koh Tang, Vietnam Veterans?

Let us look at all the facts. We all know the last 41 men named on the Vietnam Wall did not die in Vietnam. We also know that officially (according to some records) the Vietnam War ended with the evacuation of Saigon on 30 April 1975. We know that if you ask the curator of the Iwo Jima Memorial why Koh Tang was not listed as a Marine engagement on their memorial, you will be told that Koh Tang is part of the Vietnam War. Further, many men who died in Laos, Cambodia and other places prior to 30 April 1975 are listed as Vietnam Veterans even though they never set foot in Vietnam. On the other side, the VFW does not list us as Vietnam Veterans because of the date of our engagement. To put it simply, the answer depends on who is defining “Vietnam Veteran.” we feel that it is a dilemma that will probably never be answered to everyone’s satisfaction. That being said, we ask only that we be respected for what each of us did during our operation as we respect those who served their time in Vietnam. We must remember that we are all veterans, just like our many Brothers who served before us. In the end, it doesn’t really matter if our names are attached to a specific war.