More info?

Walter,
Can you give us some more hints? I don't remember where hill 48 was - Da Nang area, Phu Bai, Dong Ha, etc.?
BB

Hill 48 near Con Thien

Many thanks for the response. Sorry
for the reply delay as I have been out of
town. Hill 48 was in the proximity of
Con Thien.

Have a great Memorial Day.

Semper Fi,

Walter

Hill 48 near Con Thien

Walt:
James P Coan wrote a book I recently read titled "Con Thien, The Hill of Angels". On page 201 is the Battle of Hill 48 and there were a number of names of gound component commanders (Lt. Drnek, Capt. Andy DeBona, 2nd Lt. Chad Crangle, 2nd Lt. Robert Gall, 3/26 XO (then Major) Carl Mundy and a FAC, 1st Lt Ron Zappardino. Also mentioned is Kilo Co. and a few folks from your unit. Suggest you get book for more information. Good luck on your search!

Hill 48

Ron Zappardino was from our squadron (VMO-2). He now owns a famous resturant in La Jolla (sp?) Calif - can't remember the exact name of it right now. He would probably remember the guy you are looking for. I could get his phone number for you if you want it?

Ben
Ron Zappardino owns TOP OF THE COVE in La Jolla, CA. His e-mail is
rrz@topofthecove.com

Tom Knowles

Phone number

That would be fantastic! Suggest
sending his phone number to my e-mail
address rather than posting his phone
number to protect his privacy.

Hmusicgroup@aol.com

Getting closer I hope. Many
thanks for your help.

Semper Fi,

Walter

163 Squadron

I just spoke with Ron Zappardino over the phone.
He did not have a name but thought that the
pilot I am searching for was with the 163rd
Squadron. Is there anyone out there that was
with the 163rd that knew a pilot shot down on
Sept 7th or 8th 1967 that stayed with K Co. 3rd
Battalion 26th Marines thru "Battle of Hill 48" on
Sept 10th?

Thanks in advance for help from anyone.

Walter Hammond

HMM-163 pilots

Yeah, I thought it might be 163, but they went aboard the carrier on Sept 8. If you say it could have been Sept 7, then I'll attach some of their chron files (for a list of their names) and after-action reports for Sept 1-7. I'll call Rich Jasmine later and see if he remembers anything as he was the pilot on that aar attached. Or you can call him directly 707.579.4475 - west coast time...

I just spoke with Rich Jasmine and he said he was
there two weeks after the time period of events
but said it probably was not an HMM 163 pilot
since it was in the area of Con Thien. I also
downloaded the PDF files you posted. Although
I seem to be marking time, some unproductive avenues
have been elimiated which has helped thanks to your efforts.
I have ordered the book "Con Thien Hill of Angels" by Coan
and hopefully will get some leads from that. The book
"Semper Fi Vietnam" by Edward Murphy reflects a date
of Sept 7, 1967 as the date we were ambushed which
would have been the date the pilot was shot down.
Sept 10, 1967 was the "Battle Of Hill 48" and is briefly
mentioned on the same page without identifying the hill.

Thanks again for your time and efforts.

Take care & Semper Fi,

Walter

HIll 48

You Might Try Bernie Gordon Or Carl Bergman (both Members) They Were With 163 At The Time.

S/f

Jack

Sirs,

Assuming the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, the only helicopter lost in that time frame was a UH-34D (149366) with HMM-363, which was lost at 8th of September at 09.45

Hill 48

Walt,

Now I am cornfused again. Was it 1966 or 1967?

BB

1967

BB

Year was 1967. Left click on the link at the top of the first
post on this page and it will take you to a webpage about the song.
Click on the title "Battle Of Hill 48" to the left when you
get to the webpage and you can preview about 2 minutes
of the song for free that gives the month and year also
being September 1967.

Thanks

Walter

Sidsiko

TO: SIDSIKO

I remember events vividly as if yesterday but dates
and names are tough for me if that makes any sense.
I had thought it was Sept 8th but the book "Semper
Fi Vietnam" identified the ambush as of Sept. 7th.
Either date, the pilot was shot down and stayed with us
thru Sept. 10th when we moved to "Hill 48".

Question: Did HMM 363 service the Con Thien
area during September of 1967? More specifically
on Sept. 7th & 8th?

Rather than everyone going to so much effort, which
I greatly appreciate, maybe we should wait until
I get the book "Con Thien Hill of Angels" as I was
told some names of my unit are in there that were
on Hill 48 and I will attempt to track them down,
if they are still around, and try to get some leads that
way.

I salute all of you "Officers" for your willingness
to help out an old former enlisted "grunt".

May The Lord bless all of you and your families
with good health and much prosperity.

Semper Fi,

Walter Hammond
(Former Sgt - USMC)
K Co, 3/26

Give me an email!

hi Walter....

Give me an email.... click on my name to the left.... it'll let go to pick a choice of email or private message..... send me phone number.... I'll call you and read to you what the command chronology says for the 7th and 8th of Sept 1967

On back order at best

Was hoping to get the book "Con Thien Hill Of Angels"
to locate some names and was told by Barnes & Noble
that it is out of print. Yesterday Booksamillion
told me it was on back order and would be
5 weeks. Hopefully they can get it.

Song footnote: The roving "Vietnam Memorial Wall"
will be in Savannah, GA next week. A local "easy
listening" radio station 105.3 Q FM is going to
air "Battle Of Hill 48" this coming Sunday night
between 8:00 - 9:00 PM EST to tie in with the
"Wall" coming to Savannah next week. There is
a lot of nice things going on with the song as it
is starting to move a bit more. However, I cannot
think of a higher honor, not even a Grammy, than
this for the song being that the names of those
fallen on September 10, 1967, are on the wall.
I hope The Good Lord above will let them listen
in on this as it is primarily for them.

Semper Fi,

Walter Hammond

Seeking a pilot that stayed...

Walter, You popped smoke, and you see what happens...no special thanks required or necessary...this'll get remedied, one old mind or another. LOL.

Con Thien-Hill of Angels

Walter:

You might want to check The Marine Corps Association Book Store at

http://www.mca-marines.org/OnlineStore/Books.aspx?keyword=Con%20Thien%20Hill%20of%20Angels

They appear to have copies available.

Got the book today

I received "Con Thien The Hill Of Angels" this afternoon when I got home
and could not put it down. The battle actually started not long after daybreak, as referenced in "Semper Fi Vietnam" by Edward Murphy on Page #140. The worst was over at about 12 noon for K Company and was more or less hit and miss on into the evening for K Company but remained at more of a fierce level for other companies depending upon where they were. I was about 20 meters from the ontos that got hit, referenced on Page #203 in "Con Thien The Hill Of Angel" and other events mentioned in this book of which I relived a lot of memories this afternoon that I had forgotten.
It was good, somewhat of a healing effect, to get the buried thoughts out of my system so to speak.

What is incredibly puzzling to me is no mention in either book of the
medavac pilot that was shot down on Sept 7th that stayed
with K Company. At least now I have some names I can
try and track down some information from.

Many thanks for directing me to Marine Corps Association for the book.

Semper Fi & God Bless everyone.

Walter

Everyone needs to see this website

I hope this link works as everyone needs to see this website.

www.tpbe.net/KiloCo3rdBn26thMarinesVietnam/

This is an incredible tribute to K Company. Almost
as many Marines of K Company gave their lives at
"Battle Of Hill 48" on September 10, 1967, as those
of K Company that gave their lives during the entire
seige at Khe Sanh. This is evidenced by the names
and dates in the black boxes.

For those interested, the song "Battle Of Hill 48", link
in first post, is scoring high on various radio syndicated playlists
such as #1 on Gospel Classics, they play patriotic
music in addition to Southern & Christian Country Gospel,
and holding steady at #3 at "Country Nights" independent
country radio syndicated broadcast.

There is a newspaper column entitled "13 Months" that has developed as
a direct influence of the song "Battle Of Hill 48". The newspaper
column is written by a Marine friend of mine by the name
of Mike Evans. The first column will appear in the Northeast
Chronical of the Tallahassee Democrat in Tallahassee, Florida,
on July 5th and is scheduled to run bi-weekly in that publication.
His goal for "13 Months" is syndication. It is a newspaper
column dedicated soley to the experiences of Vietnam Veterans.

I am still on my quest to locate the pilot that stayed
with K Company.

Semper Fi & have a great July 4th & God Bless everyone.

Walter