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Hello, I need the help of your organization.
I am trying to
find a crew member who was
instrumental in helping to
save my life the
last time I was wounded in Vietnam and
being medevaced from the battle zone to
the hospital.
The date was 7 November 1967, in the
morning, Delta
Co. 1/9, northwest of Con
Thien in a search and destroy
mission part
of Operation Kentucky. I received gunshot
wounds to the chest. There were so many
casualties the
corpsman would not waste
time on me.
The company was being assaulted by overwhelming
numbers of NVA. One helicopter
against orders braved
the enemy fire to pick
up our wounded. It was an H-34.
I was
tossed on board without a medevac tag
along with
many other seriously wounded
Marines. The corpsman
on board looked at
my wounds, decided there was
nothing he
could do, and pushed me beneath the feet
of the portside gunner.
I was lying on my side and he tried to push
me down on
my back. I pointed to the holes
in my chest and he
understood that I
needed to lie on the side of my wounds
or I
would drown in my own blood. He took my
hand and
held it as he fired his machine gun
at the NVA.
I remember seeing the bullet holes appear in
the side of
the helicopter as it was being hit.
As they flew us to Delta
Med at Dong Ha, he
continued holding my hand. Every
time I
began to fade he would squeeze my hand
hard to
keep me conscious. By the time the
helicopter landed, I
believed if I let go of his
hand, I would die.
When they took me off the helicopter, he
climbed out
with me and did not let go of my
hand until I was on the
stretcher. I believe I
owe my life to this man and the rest
of the
crew.
All these years I have thought of him and
that crew and
wished there was some way I
could let them know they
had saved my life.
I just found out about your organization
yesterday. If
there is any way you could help
me find that gunner or
any member of that
crew, I would be forever in your debt.
I thought this might be the best place to
start.
I know
there are thousands of Marines
like me who are alive
today because of the
courage of the members of your
organization.
Even if I never find "my" crew, I would like
to
be able to thank all of you.
I was only 19 at the time!
With my love and respect,
Just Another Wounded Grunt
John D. Musgrave
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