THE WALL OF FACES

On the early morning of January 26, 1969, a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter CH-46D (tail number 153997) from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 (HMM 364) was conducting a medical evacuation when it crashed into Ba Na Mountain west of Da Nang, RVN. Six Marines and one Navy corpsman were killed in the incident. The aircraft was requested at approximately 3:00 AM to retrieve a patient located on Charlie Ridge, a crest in the mountainous region west of Da Nang. While enroute, the helicopter flew straight into the mountain close to the 3,000-foot level. A combination of pitch black and early morning haze with no landmarks were the conditions in which the crew was flying their mission. A chase plane in the flight reported seeing an explosion as the helicopter impacted the mountain. The lost personnel included aircraft commander 1LT John F. Meyer, co-pilot 1LT David W. Sterling, gunners LCPL David P. Dolan and LCPL James E. Hannibal, and corpsman HN Richard M. Lubin. Also lost was PFC Charles L. Peddy, listed as the crew chief on the flight, and LCPL Michael J. Schickel, listed as a third gunner. The chase aircraft, piloted by 1LT Don Robbins, attempted to lower crewman LCPL Curtis P. Knox to the crash site to check for survivors; however, when the jungle penetrator cable was fully extended Knox was still 50 feet above the ground. Robbins abandoned the attempt, only to find that the hoist retract was inoperable and Knox could not be hoisted aboard. He dangled below the CH-46D while Robbins flew six miles to the nearest secure landing zone where he gently lowered the aircraft until Knox was safely on the ground. An examination of this incident several decades later by former squadron members led them to surmise that the accident may have occurred as the result of an electronic error with the Da Nang Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN), the navigation system used by military aircraft prior to GPS. They believed that pilot Meyer was probably flying using instruments and depending on the Danang TACAN for navigational purposes. Other aircrews had experienced Danang TACAN errors of 40 degrees or so in the vicinity of Ba Na Mountain, and post-crash reconstructions of the flight route indicated that a 40-degree lock-off would place the aircraft exactly at the point of impact on Ba Na. [Taken from popasmoke.com, vvmf.org, and vhpa.org]

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.

Lance Corporal James Edward Hannibal, Served with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 (HMM-364), Marine Aircraft Group 36 (MAG-36), 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW), Third Marine Amphibious Force.

Dear Lcpl James Hannibal,
Thank you for your service as an Aircraft Electrical Systems Technician. It is now Lent. The war was years ago, but we all need 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.

just visited the Wall in DC and random pick of this Marine --