Incident Date 19700408 VMO-2 Ground Grnd Incident - Hostile Fire - Ground Casualty
Pell, Randall Lee Sgt Grnd Casualty VMO-2 MAG-11 (DaNang) 1970-04-08 (vvm 12W:108)
From VMO-2 Squadron Command Chronology
Killed during rocket attack at An Hoa.
Personal Narrative
Randy was KIA in Da Nang, not An Hoa. Randy was in VMO-2 at MMAF and made the move with VMO to Da Nang in Dec 1969. He was on his second extension. He was killed when his hooch was hit by a 122mm rocket as he slept. As far as I know, he was the only one killed.
Submitted by: Jim Wilkening, friend of casualty., 20030818Personal Narrative
The rocket attack struck the VMO-2 hooch area near Danang. It did not happen and he did not die at An Hoa.
Submitted by: James Seidner, I was there, 20090907Personal Comments
The letter sent to Charlie Huff is totally accurate. I was not hurt as to being in the rec hootch playing cards at 2:00 am --- lucky as my rack and all were demolished. Sgt Pell was very dedicated to his job and the Marine Corps.
Personal Narrative
VMO-2 took a lot of rocket hits at Marble Mountain, DaNang and An Hoa. Randy was nearing the end of his tour and in the hootch next to mine [at DaNang] when we got hit with 122's.
Submitted by: Ned Mancini, moved from MMAF to DaNang, 20040330Personal Narrative
Sgt. Randy Pell, VMO-2
Submitted by: Charles L. Huff, Best Friend, VMO-2, 20040719Personal Letter
Submitted by: Charles L. Huff, Best Friend, 20040719Personal Narrative
I was not in Vietnam when Randy died, but I will share the letter I received from Samuel A. Smithlyon, VMO-2, shortly after Randys' death.
Submitted by: Charles L. Huff, Best Friend, VMO-2, 20040719Personal Letter
Submitted by: Charles l. Huff, Best Friend, 20040719Personal Recollection
Randy was an uncommonly handsome man. Youthful, but with an air of wisdom that preceded him like a shadow when the sun is at your back. No single facial feature stood alone as the reason for his good looks- average nose, 2 ears, 2 eyes, lips- but everything he did have was choreographed perfectly to create this attractive man. He had honest eyes. His eyes were clear like those of a newborn infant- someone who has yet to do anything wrong on this earth and consequently possesses an unblemished soul. He was angular too, but not thin. He appeared taller than he measured and moved with a subtle confidence as if it was pre-ordained that everything he did would somehow always be correct. Nothing about Randy seemed pretentious. His manner was one of a man you could trust to hold the sum total of all your accumulated worldly wealth for you while you went to town that day. His words lacked congeniality, but were not at all unfriendly. It was more a conveyance of honesty and straight forwardness- unwasted words, each with a real meaning to them. You could easily tell that Randy came from a good family.
Submitted by: Ray Mar, I was there, 20171104