Koh Tang Mayaguez Vets Organization Guest Book

Marsha Witwer, Did your husband write his story? I would like to read it. Please email me if you see this message.

Gordon Isaacson
gordonisaacson@gmail.com

Hey Raymond Adrian I was on the Coral Sea Hangar Deck #1 Elevator that day you guys dropped that Blue 82. At first I thought it was a nuclear bomb when it blew. I figured I was probably going to die from radiation. That was one spectacular explosion spiraling orange, yellow, red and black up into the mushroom cloud. I was about the only guy on the Hangar Deck at that time as most were confined to quarters. Between my regular A-6 maintenance duty, the shot up CH-53's and the wounded Marines that was my personal Longest Day.

I was with the 307th MMS bombloade that was sent to Guam to load up B-52s. When we was almost done we was told that all of you did your job and got the people back. We then had to turn around and start taking off 108 bombs on each plane. They was not used because of all of your guys. Thank you

Hard to believe it has been 48 years today. We will never forget. Semper Fi

SEMPER FI TILL I DIE MAY 15TH 2023

Re-posting this from many years ago. I have always felt a connection to you just because I was there when you landed at Yokuska.

"I was attached from H&MS-12 to VMAQ-2, an EA-6A squadron, to go on the Midway in May of '75. When we got to Yokouska we were told that "A ship load of Marines are coming in port soon. They lost a bunch of their buddies rescuing a merchant ship called the Mayaguez. Stay our of their way." We did.
I think it was the next day some buddies and I were coming back in from town. The ship was in. We saw a large group of you walking up the hill toward the gate. We stood to the side and watched you. Some of you looked our way. We nodded to you-out of respect for your dead brothers and for what you had gone through. I will never forget that day.
Recently The Moving Wall came to town. I got rubbings of those who died on Koh Tang. They are in my "Open when i die" box with instructions to my son, a Marine officer, to keep and pass to his offspring.
"Never Forgotten" are not just words. They are a promise.

Semper Fidelis. God Bless you all."

I have a beautiful portrait of Daniel Benedette. I do not have anywhere to display it and I’m looking for someone who would be interested in obtaining it.

Please contact me as soon as possible if you are interested. I have pictures of the portrait that I can send. You can email me at texaskelley2@gmail.com or I’m Kelley Morrison Fowler on Facebook.

Thank you very much.

My brother, 2nd Lt James Walter (Walt) Davis was sometimes confused with Capt Jim Davis, but I believe you probably know the difference. He received a Bronze Star for the action on Koh Tang Island and retired as Colonel.

This is to let you know that he passed away last Friday night (Feb 11) in Fredericksburg, VA.
After retiring from the USMC, he served as COO of the Marine Corps Association, and I’m sure that his daughter will have something put in the Leatherneck Magazine.

Joe Davis

JoeDavis.Dallas@gmail.com

I was the missile systems officer on the Wilson. This past March I was diagnosed with Parkinson's. I filled for disability then. It's been over six months and have heard nothing.

For all of you that had to suck in the tear gas/nerve agent dropped on the Mayaguez as the Holt was pulling alongside, I was the leader of the 2nd element of A-7 fighters that gassed the ship. Sorry guys, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Gary Lape
Colonel, USAF (Ret)