Marine Corps Birthday and Veterans Day

[Dog House Bill]

REMEMBERING THE 30

By

Pvt. William W. Corwin

U.S.M.C. Veteran 1978-1982

Today is November 10, 2010. This date marks the anniversary of the official formation of the United States Marine Corps as an elite unit under the department of the United States Navy by the First Continental Congress of the newly formed government of these United States of America in 1775. Tomorrow, November 11, 2010, will be the day that we as a nation remember those who have served and those are currently serving our country here and abroad.

These dates, when combined with Memorial Day in the month of May, provide an opportunity to remember those who have given their lives to protect our freedoms that we cherish so dearly. Most of the nation remembers those who have fallen in the wars that this country has been involved with by visiting the various memorials throughout our country.

But who remembers the ones that have perished during the peaceful years? Remembering the ones who died training for and keeping themselves ready in case the call comes for them to put this training to use. There are no memorials erected to honor these unsung heroes except for the private ones which each surviving family member may display.

On these three national days of remembrance, I remember the 30 Marines who died during the time of peace from 1978 to 1982. I am sure there were others who died during this period, not just those in the Marines but those from the other branches of service. Nevertheless, these 30 were the only ones that I have heard about during my tour of duty. My only wish is that I wish my memory was better so I could remember the names, not just the manner, of these fallen soldiers.

I remember when I was in boot camp at San Diego Ca. the two marines who, though self-inflicted, were at least willing to make the attempt at service but unfortunately their minds and emotions failed them. One jumped from a third story balcony, the other failed to qualify at the rifle range and shot himself. Semper-Fi to them both.

While I was stationed at MCAS Iwakuni Japan from January 1979 to July of 1980, three marines lost their lives when the DC-9 they were flying over South Korea was crippled by a failed instrument panel that gave the pilot, co-pilot, and mechanic wrong information and the plane crashed into a mountain. Semper-Fi to the three of them.

Later in that same year, 1979, a typhoon struck the Tokyo area. One of the Marine camps near Mt. Fuji, named Camp Fuji, was inundated with torrential rains that caused a fuel bladder, located on a hill that overlooked the camp, to rise up and out of its location and then burst open. The fuel then ran down the hill into the camp where it was ignited by a space heater in one of the barracks. Eight Marines died as the result of burns suffered. Two of the deaths were caused because they ran back into the inferno to rescue others. Many other were burned, who survived, went back to help others. Semper-Fi to these eight heroes.

From November 1979 through all of 1980, into January of 1981, we witnessed the taking of hostages and our embassy by Islamic radicals in Tehran Iran. Many people remember the attempted rescue of these American hostages, only to hear of the failure due to over aged equipment. The cause is not under debate here. The fact that eight marines died on that tragic day is also non-debatable. Semper-Fi to these eight brave men.

Around this time, one of the most heroic and selfless acts that I have ever heard of up to this point, was when my group Commanding Officer lost his life during a routine training flight with the group Executive Officer as co-pilot. They had just arrived on station for duty maybe a month prior. A throttle bolt failed and the fighter-trainer was stuck at maximum thrust and could not be shut down. The Lt. Colonel, the Group CO, was attempting to land the plane using the arrestor hook which is what they use for landing on an aircraft carrier.

One of the landing gear tires hit a raised man-hole cover and flipped over. Mid way through the roll, the CO selflessly ejected the XO instead of himself. The XO survived with only the loss of one of his eyes. The CO unfortunately did not have enough time to eject himself as both he and the aircraft slammed into the ground. A Corpsman friend was involved with the recovery efforts. I pulled that throttle bolt from supply the night before and issued it to the squadron mechanics. No award was given for this sacrifice. Semper-Fi Lieutenant Colonel.

From July 1980 until April 1981, I was stationed at MCAS (H) Tustin near Anaheim CA. when an unfortunate accident occurred in the middle of the night. I was working indoors at the time not far from the site of the incident. Two helicopters, a CH-53 Sea Stallion and a CH-46 Sea Knight, with three crewmembers apiece and one of them had a guest as a

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