Honored by Comrades
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Hawaii Marine New MOPP Bayfest 2000 A-5 Volume 29, Number 29 Serving Marine Corps Base Hawaii July 20, 2000 B-1 Ugly Angels Marines honored by comrades Sgt. Mikey Niman "Spirits were high when we were there. We were able to do what Quantico Public Affairs we trained for. When a warrior trains for war, that's the best place for QUANTICO, Va. - More than 50 former members of the Ugly him to go," said Clapp. Angels Squadron, bonded together by pride, leadership and combat "Col. Clapp set a precedent," said retired Col. Tom Hewes, presi- experience, dedicated the Ugly Angel Memorial Saturday to the 33 dent of the Ugly Angel Memorial Foundation, who served with the Marines the squadron lost in its seven years of deployments to 362 in 1967. Vietnam. "The tone of a squadron when it first starts up usually carries Almost 40 years ago, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-362 throughout the squadron's life-span - which was definitely the case was the first Marine Unit to deploy to Vietnam. The unit set a prece- with 362," added Hewes. dent of taking care of their own in Vietnam, which lives on, in former The squadron served more time than any other in Vietnam, serving members even today - 25 years after the end of America's involve- off and on from April 1962 until. August 1969, just before being dis- ment there. banded. "When we arrived in Japan in 1962, the squadron we were reliev- The memorial, in the shape of an angel wing, has each fallen ing had a banner atop the hangar that said 'Welcome Archie's 'Marines' name engraved on it and stands alone in the northeastern cor- Angels,"' said retired Col. Archie Clapp, the squadron's first com- ner of the base chapel grounds. The veterans decided to place the manding officer. memorial in Quantico with the belief The name was changed to Ugly that as long as there is a Marine Corps, Angels, supposedly in a joking refer- their fallen Marines will always be ence to the Marines in the unit. In remembered at the Corps' Crossroads. explanation, Clapp simply asks, "Did The men gave special thanks to Brig. you ever see 'em?" Gen. Leif Hendrickson, base corn- Many members of the squadron manding general, and all the base didn't know ahead of time that they Marines who helped bring about the were going to Vietnam. dedication of the memorial. "I couldn't tell the men where we Taking care of their own is what men were going until we were practically and women do while they are in the there when we left our last port. Then Marine Corps, but the Ugly Angels of I told them in small groups that we Sgt. Mikey Niman the now Marine Heavy Helicopter were going to Vietnam. Most men The Ugly Angels of HMH-3 62 hold a memorial service Squadron 362 are still taking care of only asked 'Where is that?"' said to the 33 squadron membe rs who died in Vietnam from their own, proving the old adage, Clapp. 1962 to 1969. See relate d story on A-4. "Once a Marine, always a Marine." Cal Charles E. Moore Sergeant James F. Kurnick, a Sergeant's Course student, enters Operational Risk Management a room during military operations in urban terrain training at Schofield Barracks July 13. Sergeants fast makes 2000 RimPac safest ever Sgt. Richard W. Holtgraver, Ir. This achievement comes as the Marine the beach," said Drost. "They had safety on Combat Correspondent Corps Safety Campaign Plan begins and the the brain." rope into histo Marines and Sailors of Special Purpose Safety Forum 2000 is about to kick off on The achievement was a direct reflection of Marine Air/Ground Task Force-3 accom- Aug. 15. military and civilian personnel working Cpl. Charles E. Moore it. The Marines applied the plished' an amazing feat recently that may be The MCSCP is a safety policy that empow- together to insure that the mission was Combat Correspondent knowledge they had learned as lauded as extraordinary- not one Marine or ers commands Corps-wide to address safety accomplished and no one was hurt, according Sergeant's Course 5-00 imple- they cleared the four floors of the Sailor lost training time due to accident or as a priority in work environments, during to Irvine. mented new training as students building that contained a simulat- injury during the Rim of the Pacific 2000 training exercises and during deployments. "Just the work that Marines do is inher- came to the rescue of a downed ed enemy force. Exercise. The Safety Forum 2000 will have chair- ently dangerous," said Irvine. "Running pilot by fast roping into Schofield After clearing the building, Operational Risk Management was the key man Gen. Terrence Dake, assistant around in the bush, pounding stakes into the Barracks' military operations in the Marines tactically moved to the RimPac Exercise being so successful, Commandant of the Marine Corps, and will ground, driving from here to there, walking urban terrain town July 13. through the rest of the town to according to Bo Irvine, director of safety for ask several outside organizations to look at across various uneven terrains and firing The exercise was the first time rescue the pilot. Once the mis- MCB Hawaii. ORM is a series of briefs and the safety programs the Marine Corps has and weapons is all dangerous and risky activity the Sergeant's Course has sion was complete, they evacuat- classes on safety for everyone from offer their opinions. The discussion of incor- for Marines." attempted fast-roping or MOUT ed the area on helicopters and Commanding Officer down to the individual porating the ORM program elsewhere could Since the ORM policy was instituted two training. flew back to Bellows to finish the Marine. be a topic worth discussing with the recent years ago, there has been a consistant Twenty Marines fast-roped on field exercise. "What we instituted a couple of years ago success during RimPac. decrease in injuries from accidents and safety to the Best West Motel before "The main goal was to rein- was ORM, and we started to send a civilian For RimPac, Irvine sent John Drost to voilations, according to Irvine. clearing the building and moving force the knowledge these Tactical Safety Specialists out on deploy- assist the SPMAGTF-3 on all safety issues The combination of ORM training and a on to their tactical recovery of Marines got in the classroom," ments with 3rd Marines and other units," during the month-long training evolution. civilian Tactical Safety Specialist has proven aircraft personnel mission. Cervantes said. "They learn informed Irvine. "As a result, each of the Drost's job during the ekercise was to pro- itself over a short period of time to reduce "The Marine Corps is leaning about it when they get hands-on exercises the Marines have been on since the vide himself as a source for the command to accidents, injuries and time lost due to towards MOUT," said Staff Sgt. training." implementation of the policy has seen a refer to in situations where safety is a concern. injuries. This formula may become a constant Rogelio Cervantes, the tactics The exercise had other bene- reduction in the number of incidents. This "Everybody I talked with during the exer- procedure for future Marine deployment, if instructor. "The Sergeant's fits as well, he said. was the first time we had zero lost time cise was very safety conscious, from the com- Safety Forum 2000 decides to adopt MCB Course has never done some- "A lot of these Marines had injuries," said Irvine. manding officer down to the Marine storming Hawaii, Base Safety's ORM practices. thing like this. It went well." never fast-roped or been on a The Marines spent a lot of helicopter, and were afraid of time preparing for the MOUT heights," Cervantes said. "That and TRAP exercises. The all went out the window." Marines, U.S. Army seek to gauge Sergeant's Course started with Some of the students were about two and one half hours of glad they had to face those fears. classroom training before doing "I'm scared of heights, so it worldwide troop deployment costs practical exercises in empty base was a heck of a training evolution houses. Cervantes said the for me," said Sgt. Jamie L. MOUT exercise brought all their Thompson, a student. "My pla- , Robert Holzer deployments for the nation's land forces is exacting a heavy toll in Defense News Staff Writer knowledge of MOUT together. toon was doing it, so I had to. I wear and tear on personnel, equipment, ships and aircraft. The Marines started the 36- would do it again." WASHINGTON D.C. - The chiefs of staff of the U.S. Army and Maj. Gen. Arnold Fields, director of the Marine Corps Staff, said in hour field evolution that morning Forcing the Marines to over- Marine Corps are launching an initiative to determine the costs - in a written summary of the meetings that "engagement is currently at Marine Corps Training Area come their fears is something terms of dollars, wear and tear on equipment, and attrition - of U.S. being performed on the backs of soldiers and Marines. The consensus Bellows. Two CH-53D Sea they were trying to do. troop engagements around the globe. was that engagement has a currently undefined cost." Stallions gave them a ride to "We wanted to do a confi- The initiative is a direct result of two days of meetings held by Gen.