THE WALL OF FACES

Sergeant Robert Michael Gendron, Served wit Marine Air Base Squadron 16 (MABS-16), Marine Aircraft Group 16 (MAG-16), 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW), Third Marine Amphibious Force.

A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam
And for a brief moment its glory
and beauty belong to our world
But then it flies again
And though we wish it could have stayed...
We feel lucky to have seen it.

Dear Sgt Robert Gendron,
Thank you for your service as an Electrician. Happy Thanksgiving. It has been too long, and it's about time for us all to acknowledge the sacrifices of those like you who answered our nation's call. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

On April 14, 1969, a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter CH-46D (tail number 153361), YK-5, from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 (HMM 364), was on an emergency medevac mission in Quang Nam Province (I Corps), RVN, when it was shot down and crashed into heavy trees. Four Marine personnel were killed in the crash. The mission was on the south side of "Charlie Ridge." There wasn't a suitable landing zone to recover the wounded Marines, so a hoist extraction was underway when intense hostile fire erupted. Enemy rounds caused a dual hydraulic boost failure. The pilot activated the explosive device to shear the hoist cable and attempted to autorotate to the valley below. The mountain's topography dropped off steeply and the helicopter fell, hitting nose-up, like a motorboat plowing through the trees. The aircraft exploded on impact. Three crewmen were killed in the crash, pilot 1LT Michael K. Nickerson, right gunner SGT Robert M. Gendron, and corpsman HM2 William L. Sperb. A passenger, photographer LCPL John E. Banister, also died. The co-pilot, crew chief, and the left gunner survived. Elements of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, made a grueling four-kilometer trek to recover bodies and weapons the following day. [Taken from popasmoke.com and vhpa.org]

I, S.Gendron,from Mtl,Canada,went to pay tribute to " The Wall " in your great US Capitol,saw your names,and prayed for your " Ultimate Sacrefice "...
May all who served,Past and Present soldiers, May God Protect,guide and enlightened you....

Pvt Recruit Gendron , Artillery, Canadian Forces .