Brothers (& Sisters) Killed in Action in USMC Helicopters or while assigned to USMC Helicopter or Tiltrotor Squadrons
19690207HMM-364 Vietnam
Download PDFIncident Date 19690207 HMM-364 CH-46D 153334+ / YK-14 - Hostile Fire, Crash
Young, Gary Norman HN Corpsman-Crew HMM-364 MAG-16 1969-02-07 (vvm 33W:083)
Tyrrell, Walter Ripley HM2 Corpsman-Crew HMM-364 MAG-16 1969-02-07 (vvm 33W:082)
Shank, Rodney George LCpl Gunner HMM-364 MAG-16 1969-02-07 (vvm 33W:082)
Moke, Russell Eugene 1stLT Co-Pilot HMM-364 MAG-16 1969-02-07 (vvm 33W:080)
Miller Jr., Charles Willard Cpl Crew Chief HMM-364 MAG-16 1969-02-07 (vvm 33W:079)
Bartolina Jr., Ernest E Capt Pilot HMM-364 MAG-16 1969-02-04 (vvm 33W:075)
HMM-364 Command Chronology - February 1969
7 February 1969 - Four fire incidents were reported with YK-14 being shot down with 6 KIAs and 1 WIA.
Submitted by: N/A, 20030827HMM-364 Command Chronology - February 1969
Casualties for the Month of Feb 1969 - Bartolina, EE Capt KIA
Moke, RE 1stLt KIA
Miller, CW Cpl KIA
Shank, RG LCpl KIA
Tomaro, GJ Cpl WIA
Comment on Incident
MEDEVAC Shot Down in Arizona Territory, near Hue City. Aircraft launched from MMAF on a low overcast day with intermittent rain. The wounded Marines were near the village of An Hoa (AT820561). The pilot was forced to make a low approach to the LZ and was subjected to intense enemy fire. The aircraft went out of control and crashed very hard in a rice paddy with about 10" of water in it. One of the crew, Gregory J. Tomaro, gunner, survived the crash. Subsequent examination of the wreckage revealed that both hydraulic boost systems had failed due to enemy fire. Doc Walt Tyrrell was training Doc Gary Young in helicopter medevac ops. Information by Courtney Payne, Major USMCR(Ret); Owen Crew. Baker, Col. USMCR(Ret)
Submitted by: N/A, 20030821HN Gary Norman Young, Corpsman
OBITUARY
Personal Recollection
HM2 Rip Tyrell was a good friend of mine. I was a DT2 and the senior petty officer (NCOIC) at the MAG-16 dental clinic. Unlike other dental techs, I was especially close with the corpsmen because I volunteered to be part of MAG-16's MEDCAP team.
The dentist, who was too chicken to leave the base, taught me how to pull teeth. I didn't think of it at the time but I believe I garnered a lot of respect from the HMs just for going with them.
Tyrell and I were involved in a lot of "adventures." The biggest was straight out of MASH. A small group of E-5 corpsmen and I were getting smashed one night in the Sgt's club. One of our mates had been injured in a crash that day and was in the field hospital.
We all agreed when Tyrell said "we gotta go see him".
Long story short:
Around 2100 we loaded into a jeep ambulance, with me on a stretcher, and brazened our way through the sentries at the gate. We saw our friend, who was in better condition than we could have hoped, and somehow made it back through the gate around 0030 without a challenge!
I ended up going to the Club after learning of Rip's death and got completely wasted. The next morning I awoke with the mother of all headaches. The last thing I wanted to do was go out on a morning MEDCAP. However, I sucked it up, drank two or three cans of tomato juice, and went out to a nearby ville.
Everything started coming up when I climbed off the 4X4 and I was bent over in the square puking total red (the juice).
Concerned children gather around me and kept asking "bác sĩ? (doctor), bác sĩ?" The puke was bright red from the juice and they thought I was bleeding to death before their eyes.
Forty years later, Rip Tyrell remains the finest man I ever met. Thank you for letting me share my thoughts.
Capt Ernest E. Bartolina Jr., HMM-364
http://www.hmm-364.org/bartolina2.html
HN Gary Norman Young, Corpsman
Submitted by: POPASMOKE Admin, 20050219
1stLt Russell Eugene Moke, HMM-364
http://www.hmm-364.org/moke-re.jpg
Submitted by: POPASMOKE Admin, 20050219
HM2 Walter Ripley Tyrrell, Corpsman
http://www.virtualwall.org/dt/TyrrellWR01a.htm
Submitted by: POPASMOKE Admin, pop, 20050219
Capt Ernest E. Bartolina Jr., HMM-364
Capt. Ernest E. Batolina, Jr. outside the squadron area in Bhu Bai.
Photo provided by Jan Bartolina, Ernie's sister
http://www.hmm-364.org/album69z09.html
Personal Recollection
Russ was a fine man; full of love for the Corps and full of life when I knew him before we shipped over ... He was only in country for a month or so when this happened ... he left a loving wife Diane and a newborn ... I still miss him 40 years later.
Submitted by: Jim Martindale, Russ Moke Roomate in Pensacola, 20100428
