18 Jul 2003 REMEMBERED by a friend, Gwen Nolte gwennolte@aol.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 16 January 1969 an AMTRAC (amphibious tractor) from the 3rd Amtrac Bn was conducting a mine clearing operation twelve miles south of Chu Lai, Quang Ngai Province. The tractor's crew was using a demolition line charge which detonated prematurely, destroying the tractor and killing all seven men aboard. The 3rd AMTRAC Bn Command Chronology for January 1969 contains the following entry: "The last event occured on the 26th of January, at approximately 1050, when two LVTE-1s (3-H-27 and 3-H-25) were in support of M Company BLT 3/26. 3-H-25 with two line charges aboard fired its first charge and the charge, while still in flight, detonated prematurely destroying the tractor and killing the seven Marines aboard instantly. The names of the six Marines who were members of this unit are listed below: Second Lieutenant Russell L. EQUI Sergeant Robert L. JOHNSON Lance Corporal Charles A. BREZINSKI Lance Corporal Martin J. GIMBERT Lance Corporal Stanley H. NEWMAN Lance Corporal Bradley E. SUCHKA" The seventh Marine was Capt Marvin Cook of North Little Rock, Arkansas, an EOD officer who was on temporary duty from the Provisional Service Battalion, 9th MAB, on Okinawa. The seven men are buried in Section 46 of the Arlington National Cemetery, and are memorialized on a large monument stone near their graves. Photo from the Arlington Cemetery site

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