THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us….

Dear Gysgt Clement Lajeunesse, Thank you for your service as an HMM-26 Helicopter Crewman. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. Today is Leap Year Day. For many of us, we have begun Lent. The time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage, guidance and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.

On August 31, 1967, a U.S. Marine Corps CH-46A (tail number 152569), ET-35, from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 (HMM 262), was conducting a medical evacuation mission when the aircraft disintegrated while in flight. The helicopter was enroute to the USS Tripoli (LPH-10) when it plunged into the sea. There were no survivors. There are two accounts for this incident. First account - There is not a lot of information on this particular incident. From the combat chronology and other sources, I have created the following narrative. This was a sad day. Since we had already had more than one CH-46 disintegrate in the air, everyone was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Many had long suspected there were problems with the structural integrity of the CH-46A, especially the aft pylon. As we continued to fly missions in support of Operation Belt Drive, the lead aircraft on a med-evac mission, #152469, enroute to the LPH-10, broke up in the air and the whole crew died along with the one embarked med-evac. The pilot was MAJ Lawrence R. Moyer, co-pilot 2LT John D. Merriman, the crew chief was GSGT Clement F. LaJeunesse, and the gunner was LCPL Mike D. Laymon. The med-evac was PFC Danny W. Engesser. A similar accident took place at Marble Mountain the following day when another CH-46A lost its tail just as it touched down at Marble Mountain with no serious injuries to the crew. MAJ Moyer’s mission was primarily an administrative move to the carrier, so there was not a full crew aboard. The aircraft crashed into the sea. (Narrative by Neil Allen, HMM-262 historian) [Taken from vhpa.org] Second account - The cause of this accident was a rotor blade failure. The blade failed almost 100 hours after a repair done by myself while with HMM 262. There was bullet damage done to a blade pocket which I repaired. The hole in the pocket was filed smooth and the area burnished. What was not known was the damage that was done to the blade spar by the bullet. Several people involved (myself included) thought the blade was damaged beyond repair, however, the senior maintenance personnel said tape it and fly it. It took 100 hours before it failed. (Submitted by P.D. Williams, Airframe Mech, HMM 262) [Taken from popasmoke.com]

HIGH FLIGHT

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

— John Gillespie Magee, Jr

Semper Fi, Gunny.