Hoping to find an answer to a question

[Kimberly]

I was hoping someone would help me. I recently went back to school and I have a report to do on a topic of my choice and I want to do it on Cpl. John C. Keiper, he is the Marine I hold close to my heart. I want to do this report on him as way of honoring him in all he has done for this country. I have also decided that I will include all the Veterans of all wars as a thank you and a tribute for all the scarifies you have made. If I can just make one person think and realize all the wonderful things men like John and Veterans such as yourselves have done it is worth it. Now to my question, John was assigned to Helicopter Attack Maintenance Squadron 16, Marine Air Group 16. I was hoping someone can tell me exactly what that job entails. I would greatly appreciate any help I can get. Thank you for you time.
Kim

[Larry Zok]

Kimberlie

There are a number of jobs that he could have held. Do you know what his MOS was? That would help a lot. This squadron had metal smiths, avionics, hydraulics, ground support, clerks, maintenance. We need more info to give you the help that you are requesting.

[jdullighan]

There is a John C. Keiper listed in KIA

[Larry Zok]

John

The KIA Incident Report shows him as a 6637. I can find no record of that MOS during Viet Nam. The other's in that number range were aviation electricians.

[GEORGE CURTIS]

FYI

http://www.barkingduck.net/ehayes/essays/usmcmosv.htm

lists

6637 Aircraft Electrical Systems Technician

[Kimberly]

Cpl. Keiper was assigned to Heavy Attack Maintenance Squadron 16, Marine Air Group 16, in Dong Ha, where he assisted in the maintenance of aircraft temporarily based there. So I believe he was maintance of some sort. I just guessing on this. Maybe you can clear it up a little better for me, maybe something a little more detailed. I have received a letter from his sister a few months back and from what I have gathered from her (she was very young when John was in Vietnam) he was a passenger on a U64 and that they were on an re-con mission when the plane went down. I'm not sure if this helps any. Thank you for responding and for your help, I really appreciate it

[Larry Zok]

George

I used a list from www.marzone.com/7thMarines/Faq0001.htm and it did not have that MOS listed. Sorry, guess I should have looked in another place.

[Joe Reed]

Kim,
What you show as "Heavy Attack Maintenance Squadron 16, Marine Air Group 16, in Dong Ha" is more than likely actually, Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 16, known to us as H&MS-16. Sounds like he was an Avionics Technician of some sort. He may or may not have flown missions with Squadrons in the Quang Tri area (near Dong Ha)as an Ariel Gunner in helicopters based there. With his MOS, he was probably based at Quang Tri rather than Dong Ha, which was more of a resupply/staging area than a base for helicopters. There were several squadrons based at Quang Tri, where a Marine with his MOS would have normally been based, including H&MS-16 type outfits. My recollection puts H&MS-16 in the DaNang area, more specifically, at the helicopter base in Marble Mountain. Branches or sub-units could've been anywhere there were Marine helicopters were based in "I" Corps area of South Viet Nam, including Phu Bai and Quang Tri.
Hope this has been somewhat helpful.
Semper Fi
Joe

[Kimberly]

I would like to thank all of you for your help. With all the help I received I think I have a better understanding of what John did. Thank you all so much for taking the time to help. I greatly appreciate it.
Kim