Watchtower

I was with MCB 74's Detail Alpha in Quang Tri 1969. We were a group of roughly 100 Seabees working on projects in the area and on Route-1.

I was in a watch tower one evening and happened to see a copter land at the medevac station next to our base. I thought that it landed very hard and was watching as the hospital people were unloading bodies from the back.

Six Marines, stacked like cordwood, were one-by-one removed.

Then the copilot was taken and then the pilot.

Come to find out the next day that all eight men were dead and the pilot had lived just long enough to "get the boys back."

I've often wondered if that crew was remembered for their valor in getting our guys back home. There are probably a thousand storys like this and many will never be told.

Glenn (Wally) Wallin Sr.
Navy Seabee 1968-72 ... MCB 74