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From Michael Sofarelli msofarelli@lettersonthewall.com
Dear Sir(s)
My name is Michael Sofarelli, I am the son of a Marine wounded in Vietnam in February 1967. I am also the author of a book entitled Letters on the Wall, a book dedicated to my father and to the members of his platoon that helped save his life the night he was hit. He was hit by a grenade and lost a leg and sight in one eye.
The reason I write to you is this- I am looking for a pilot. I have been able to locate many of the members of my father's platoon (1/4) and personally thank them and reunite many. Several came up last year to NY for a book release party yet we all felt there was an important individual(s) missing.
The man I am looking for is the pilot who flew in and extracted my father and a couple other Marines in the early morning hours on Feb 20 1967. What I know is that the crew came of the Iwo Jima and that according to my dad, it was the pilot's very first night extraction under fire.
Any help in locating info this individual and/or members of the crew would be greatly appreciated.
The one thing my father has always said he wants to do is before he dies, he wants to meet that pilot, shake his hand and say thank you. I would like to help make that possible.
Thank you in advance for any help.
All the best,
Michael Sofarelli Jr.msofarelli@lettersonthewall.com
Semper Fi
Posted : 2008-06-19 00:44
info
If he was evacuated on Feb 20, 1967 by a helicopter from the USS Iwo Jima , it would be a bird from HMM-363. We were on the IWO during that time frame. I don't have any flights in my logbook for the 20th, but maybe somebody in 363 can check their logbooks for you.
Posted : 2008-06-19 11:06
Topic starter
From HMM-363 Squadron Member
From Doug "Dirty" Darran:
Michael,
Brook Stevenson, a FNG who kinda watches over info on HMM-363 (Lucky Red Lions) on PopASmoke, asked me to take a look at the NOTAM he posted on our website concerning the email you sent him on the medivac of your Father in the early morning hours of 02/20/67. I would have responded through the NOTAM board, but, "due to technical difficulties", I am unable to login at the moment.
Paul Sheehan did post one reply, and although he apparently had the date of your Father's medivac wrong (he said 02/29/67, but you said 02/20/67 - but Paul was pretty flakey even back then!), he was correct that in Feb '67 from the Iwo (LPH-2) it would have been a bird from HMM-363.
I checked my logbook, and lo and behold, I flew a night medivac (coded 3R6: night visual, transport/administrative, medical evacuation into/out of enemy fire area) on 02/20/67 with HMM-363 off the Iwo! While I have no personal recollection of the details of that flight, I was the copilot (and according to my logbook it was the second night medivac I had ever flown), and the pilot was MURPHY. IF that's the flight that picked up your Father, he must have been pretty close by, as the flight was only 0.3 hrs (18 minutes) long. Being an OGL (Old Gray Lion), I don't remember if we might have had two birds on medivac standby if there was an active operation on ashore, which there apparently was, so it might have been someone else.
Anyway, as far as MURPHY goes, once again I can't place him off hand, and there has never been to my knowledge a MURPHY on the PopASmoke or HMM-363 rosters. As my mind keeps turning (thank God)however, I think there was a Major MURPHY in the squadron (Ops Off?), and I did fly multiple flights with him off the Iwo. In fact, I flew 4.2 hr flight (coded 1R5: daylight visual, transport/administrative, troop lift into/out of enemy fire area) later in the day on 02/20/67. God, we must have been YSLs, Young Strong (or maybe Stupid) Lions, back in those days!
The Majors name is Edmond J Murphy and we are trying to find out anything we can about him.
Posted : 2008-06-19 18:33
Topic starter
Update! Need more info on who was the crew?
From Dirty Doug Darran:
Mike,
MEDIVAC: Yes, our best guess trying to piece things together after 41 years, I think Edmond J Murphy (Murph) was the pilot, and I was the copilot.
As far as the crew goes, I have no idea. Don't think it was Tripp and Whitcomb, as the flight Tripper thought he "remembered" was the wrong bird. Tripper is on vacation - maybe he can figure it out when he gets back.
We'll keep trying!By copy of this email, maybe Brook can post a NOTAM to see if we can find the crew - as best we can figure - Flight was BuNo 148070, YZ-64, night medivac (3R6) off the Iwo on the night of 02/19-20/67 (my log book entry is 02/20/67, but it was flown the night of 19-20 - apparently landed back on the Iwo after midnight on the 20th), Murph pilot, me copilot.
..............
Posted : 2008-07-23 12:57
Cmd Chronology from Jan 67 shows EJ Murphy as Maintenance Officer.
Posted : 2008-07-23 20:23
Topic starter
I believe this is the correct Document
The Command Chronology for February is here:
Posted : 2008-07-30 15:04
