Ref your medevac request: if you have a log book with flight times recorded, it will show 1R6 or 3R6 for a medevac mission. 1 for day, 3 for night. Missing a log book, the form filled out for each Air Medal had a column for type mission- again look for 1R6 or 3R6. Not sure where these are, but HQMC, Awards Section, should be able to tell you if they have them or they were sent to storage in Kansas City/ St. Louis. Possible cross-check with yellow sheet records for crew and mission type flown. Again, sorry I don't know where these are stored, but HQMC should be able to tell you. Hope this helps. Joe HMM-263

Contact the below address at HQMC and they will send you a set of 4CD's at no charge. It took less than a month to receive mine.
The CD's will contain your unit's history(after action reports) that list each flight/crewmembers while in Vietnam. Just tell them what your unit was.
Marine Corps Historical Center
Attn: Archives Section
1254 Charles Morris Street, SE
Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5040

As always the Marines come through!
Many thanks for these leads and I'll get on them when I close this out. I'll keep ya'll posted on what turns up and how the decision came ( about 1-2 months I'm told).
Semper Fi !
jd

The Navy Yard in Washington DC has the squadron chronologies at the museum. I think you or your representative will have to pull and copy. However my son pulled mine and he said they were very helpful.

After Action Reports

Not all After Action Reports were submitted for archives. For example, I have the CD that covers HMM-365 (Jul 65), HML-367, HMA-369, HMH-462, HMH-463. The Command Chronologies for each squadron are complete, but these are the only After Action Reports on the CD:
HMM-365 6-19 Jul 65
HML-367 May-Oct 69
HMA-369 None
HMH-462 Sept 68, Dec 68, Feb-Oct 69
HMH-463 Jun 67, Jul 67

Well it's been a busy day here calling and writting. Again I thank all for your suggestions.
Do the CDs have the missions coded with the type of flight it was? exsp: 3R6 for night med evacs?
I found that a lot of records have been kept and switched to StLouis,MO. A county vetran's assist rep told me that many of the records have not been kept... that's a bummer huh? He gave me a web site for the StL department of records. There you can ask for particular records but you still have to sign a piece of paper and send it to them due to the "new" federal law where it takes a signiture to get records, even from the vet.
I can see that many of you, along with me, need to get these records within our hands for future needs.
Again thanks for the responce.
Semper Fi,
jd "Falcon"

The after action reports will have the type of mission/flight time/location/#pax/crew members,etc.... My CD's have a lot more info that the one's that hma-1369 seems to have. Can't figure that one out. I'll try to pass on the phone number at HQ USMC if I can find it again. Good luck.

LOl Slick that phone number is for some department in the Homeland security department.... should of seen my face when they answered! LOL
anywho, they were nice and after asking if the number I had was theirs ( and it was) I begged forgiveness and departed. Thought I'd pass this on incase someone else was thinking on calling that number. I'll try directory assistance tomorrow for HQ USMC and try that route.
Thanks again!
jd "Falcon"

command chronologies

Jd,

Find below copies of correspondence with the archive section with ordering info.

It may be faster than it was. I have been through all this so if you'll email or PM your phone number I'll call you back and share any info I can with you.

From: Graboske GS12 Fred J
To: 'John Allison'
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 5:15 AM
Subject: RE: Command Chronologies

Mr. Allison,

We do not accept e-mail requests. You can fax your request to 202-433-7265. The request must include the name of the unit, the month(s), and your name and mailing address. We can provide 100 pages of copies free of charge. Currently the backlog is approximately 10 weeks.

Respectfully,

Frederick J. Graboske
Head, Archives Section
-----Original Message-----
From: John Allison [mailto:jma11@alltel.net]
Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2002 2:10 PM
To: GraboskeFJ@hqmc.usmc.mil
Subject: Command Chronologies

Dear Mr. Graboske,

I would like to know how to get the Command Chronologies for HMM 161 for May 68 to June 69.

HMM 161 was part of Prov MAG 39 at Quang Tri Marine base in Quang Tri Province RVN during this time period.

Please let me know how to get this information.

Sincerely,

John M. Allison
Sgt HMM 161 68/69

S/F

John

PS this info came on a single CD and had a lot more info than the dates requested.

Top of the morning to all!
Yesterday i got the FAX number from HQMC and sent in a request. Hoping it won't take ten weeks though. Also have already sent to StLouis request for any records/logs/award forms for myself. All info came from this board and I went to URLs and found info. Not a really fast way with all the links and such, but some progress has been made. Bruce Crow a 361 buddy has sent me two of the months that I needed ( and that may well be all I need to "prove" that med evacs were part of our jobs incountry). They're in the mail now.
Again, I stress that everyone needs to have these on hand if nothing more than to look at.
Still couldn't get into HQ aviation yet. Will try next week.
semper fi
jd "Falcon"

Medivac

JD

I have originals of enlisted flight time in 361 showing a 1R6 code. I also have an original of a flight/strike credit sheet for Air Medals from 361 showing both 1R6 and 3R6 codes.

I they can be of help I can mail or fax them.

SEMPER FI

Ed

Ed you can reach me at my e-mail jhuntsr@bellsouth.net
This sounds great to add to my "report" to VA.
Thanks again,
Semper fi
jd "Falcon"

Yesterday, July 18th, I got the two CDs from HQMC with many reports within them. Their letter states that they only have about 20% of the air wings record at this time, but do plan on shortly having them all on CDs. I had to have the local computer wiz kid, ( my youngest son) to get them to print off. The Acrobat software used isn't what I consider "user friendly" but with the aid of a print program he managed to get them to print.
Now awaiting the records from St. Louis, MO to get compiled into a "report" to submit to VA. This ought to be one heck of a report containing anything "offical" within it to help discribe what our dutys where pertaining to Med-Evacs.
Also a note here to promising pilots now on duty who will make out post flight reports: Don't use a friggen grease pen to write with ! And some of those pilots from yester years must have gone into doctoring, because of the writting . lol already looks like a prescription type hand writing .
I especially enjoyed looking at some of the pilot's notes on these reports. Entertaining to say the least.
Will continue to keep ya'll posted on the outcome of the report and the final answer from VA.
Semper Fi,
jd "Falcon"

UPDATE to HqUSMC History Dept

Well I got off what I had collected up. I found out that (1) you need your VA case number on EVERY piece of paper that you sumbit ( Was told in case they "drop" a page on the floor they know where it came from..... sigh).
(2) Any letters to support your claim that fellow crews can support is great. What is even better is personal remarks from those who flew with you, ie... fellow members in the squadron(s) you flew with.

An update for the Historical records from the USMC historical dept.
I'll enclose a note to Gunny Curtis that he believes will help you all in your quest for squadron records. ( Please also note that this deptment sent a letter on how to use the Cds and also mentioned that there is still about 20% of squadron records that aren't on CD yet...)

Top o' the day Gunny!
I was getting together some information for Bruce Crow on how to get those Cds from the Marine Corps History Div and come to realize that it's not the same as when I got mine. What I mean is , I don't see the fax number any more on the pages of their web site.
So here is the one I used. It will save boucue time from the snail mail route.

Fax # 202-433-7265
Information that needs to listed as: Unit file and the dates requested. Also the requester's name and address. Your military ID # and any other info to help ID you in the Marines.

exp.: Unit file: HMM361 Jan67-Feb68 , Republic of South Vietnam, also the date of your request.

Thought I'd pass this along and it may help you or someone else get this material a bid faster.

Please note that it is extremely important to get that "Unit File" mentioned! And the dates wanted.
Semper Fi,
jd "Falcon"

Well it's almost Christmas and Uncle Sam sent me his "gift".
YEP! I got "OK"ed by VA today for the claim. It was through this forum that I got help in getting information to prove that we in the cabins did med-evacs. One would have thought that was obvious. Not so. It takes flight records, Marine Corps reports, and friends to show that med-evacs did happen and what took part in them. Again thanks to the guys here on the board, John Allison, Steve Bozeman, Bruce Crow and Mike Westervelt. Without you I would probably had to wait another 30 years!
Semper Fi
JD

unit diary

try this
United States Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
Headquarters U S Marine Corps
2008 Elliot road
Quantico Va 22134-5030

Ask for unit diary
2 months max
6 months between requests

Benefits Claims

Was told that I need original, certified death certificate to get unit diaries from HQ even though I have been dealing with this for years and have provided many d. c.'s at every step of the way.

Here are some tips:
1. service # on every page
2. if mailed, certififed, return receipt requested, put certification # on every page.
3. # pages and put total number on cover page(whatever form you use) and put total number on cert. and return receipt and on envelope. (everywhere you can)
4. copy entire packet.
5. if making phone calls, keep logs of date, time, name, and content of conversation.
6. document everything as completely as possible, then do it again and copy it.