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Seeking information about LtCol Dan Wilson, HMM-361 CO from Oct 67-Mar 68, who passed away in late November or early December 03 in Fair Hope, Alabama, according to Forrest Crone, his XO and then squadron CO after Dan was wounded on a night medevac in the Hoi An area. Dan suffered a head wound that left him nearly blind; he was medically discharged from the Corps with a 100 percent disability. Dan Wilson was a Popasmoke member and a member of the Marine Helicopter Squadron 361 Veterans Association. Am unable to locate a family member who can provide information about his death. Would appreciate any information from those who served with him or knew him.
Greg Hughes, HMM-361, 65-66
Posted : 2004-01-18 20:50
Lt.Col. Wilson
Greg:
My condolences to Col. Wilson's family. I served with the Col. when he was C.O. of HMM 361. I vividly remember the night he was wounded. It was a night filled with a lot of enemy activity down at Hoi An. He was flying day med-evac and I was scheduled to take over night med-evac that evening. I was in the ready room listening to the communications between him and the C & C center when he was wounded. I can't remember his co-pilot at the time but I remember the night well. I have some old videos of his HMM 361 retirement ceremony at Marble Mtn. , in his wheel chair..... I also have a clipping from the Sea Tiger newspaper of IIIMAF. I will try scanning it and sending it to you.
I feel he should have been awarded the DFC for his determined effort to get those med-evacs out....
Semper Fidelis,
Jack Warner
Posted : 2004-01-18 22:22
Jack's video
Having just seen Jack's video, I think under the circumstances and conditions it's very good. Jack, now's the time to get that thing edited and some copies made, my friend!
Semper Fi
Joe
Posted : 2004-01-19 14:19
Don't know if this is the kind of info you are looking for but I served with Dan when he was in HMM-361 at Santa Ana in 1959 and 1960. He was a Capt at that time and was the Admin officer for the Squadron under LtCol Doc Evans. Dan introduced me to barber shop quartet singing along with Bob Whaley and Rusty Hanson. Dan was the bass singer of the group and our leader. We met each week for a session with the group called the Preservation of Barber Shop Quartet Sing in America and had a ball singing all the old songs and sounding terrible. The four of us formed our own quartet and called ourselves "The Four Blades" (how bad is that). Anyhow we had a good time and eventually got pretty good at about four songs. After we did our weekly meeting we would ajourn to the Oasis Bar in Garden Grove and water down for a while and tell ourselves how good we were.
Dan was a gentleman of class even then and I am sure he made a fine CO.
Many years later and after her was wounded Bob, Rusty ,and I called him one night at his home and had a wonderful long conversation with him. His death saddend us all.
Early Spiars
Posted : 2005-01-14 13:02
