June 2nd, 1968 The Valley Forge and the fire.

Great photo. I was in the hydraulic shop of 164 and was working on the aft rotor break when the aircraft caught fire. I along with a few other guys threw life vests from our choppers to the men in the water. After things sort of quieted down they sounded man overboard and everyone went to there muster stations. I stayed on the flight deck and along with a corpman took reid from the chopper to sick bay. There was no lso on the flight deck when our bird came in with him on the sling. I remember that it would not lower and the corpman had him hover while I un-hooed the sling. We both carried him to the evevator which I operated and lowered. We then took him on the small elevator to sick bay. I never really knew what his name was or what had happened to him. I fell sorrow even now knowing that he did not make it. J.T. Stoffa Gysgt- USMC Retired -Submitted by: Joseph Stoffa [gysgt58@comcast.net] 2009-12-27

I am that corpsman. I did not know him either but I remember the incident well.