Heavy Haulers Gathering 2015 Laughlin, Nevada - October 20, 21 & 22, 2015 ---

All Marines

After Action Report

This year's Gathering in Laughlin was another ROARING success, but with a sad and tragic finish.

We lost two of the original members of the original HMH-463 group that went to Vietnam in late
'66 and early '67. We knew that Orlando "Buzz" Busby had terminal cancer but the loss of Dale
"Hoot" Gibson less than 30 hours after the Gathering came as a real shock.

Dale took the Color Guard back to Miramar on Friday and stayed over night in San Diego.
He drove home to Pahrump on Saturday and called me at the Grand Canyon at 10:19 AM,
we talked for just short of ten minutes and his last word to me was "Shalom". That was the
way he ended every conversation we ever had.

His wife Paula came home on Saturday October 24th about 3:30 in the afternoon and found
him on the kitchen floor.

Buzz Busby passed on Friday October 30th after loosing his battle with cancer.

On Friday November 6th a group of more than a dozen old friends from the 463 Vietnam group
attended Dale's funeral in Boulder City NV and the Memorial Service in Pahrump NV. Among that
group was Bob Wemheuer who had also attended Buzz's funeral in California the day before. Ooh-Rah! Bob!