Cpl. Sooto

Always wondered what happened to Vic. I saved his bacon one night in New River in '67 when he threw some smart guy through the plate glass window of the bar across from the entrance to MCAS there. I grabbed him and we high-tailed it back to the squadron areas. Might have had a drink or two before the incident. He was in 261 0r 264 then and I was in 365. but everyone knew Vic! I worked for his Uncle, a S/Sgt. Atuatasi in MCAS Santa Ana in 1969 for a few weeks. Great men with a proud heritage! -Submitted by: Joe Reed [jhrcbr@comcast.net] 2007-10-19

Vic and i were section leaders in 66/67 in 261. Spent many a night retrieving him from the enlisted club. Sadly Vic died in the Staff barracks in 70 or 71 from drinking to much. He was a very good friend an one hell of a Mech/crewchief -Submitted by: William.mcMillian [TOPMAC161@aol.com] 2007-10-23

Always wondered what happened to Vic. I saved his bacon one night in New River in '67 when he threw some smart guy through the plate glass window of the bar across from the entrance to MCAS there. I grabbed him and we high-tailed it back to the squadron areas. Might have had a drink or two before the incident. He was in 261 0r 264 then and I was in 365. but everyone knew Vic! I worked for his Uncle, a S/Sgt. Atuatasi in MCAS Santa Ana in 1969 for a few weeks. Great men with a proud heritage! -Submitted by: Joe Reed [jhrcbr@comcast.net] 2007-10-19

In the news on the recent tragety in American Samoa showed this mans grave and the Catholic Church the only thing standing at in the front of his village that was pretty much wiped out. Even the store next to it had only the floor left. This was my husbands Uncle. I always thought he died in the Korean War. No one ever said anything different. -Submitted by: JUANITA SOOTO [jsuzzie1960@hotmail.com] 2009-10-01

I was Vics 1st Mechanic and became a crew chief with his help in HMM 163 MCAF Santa Ana 1964. Vic and I were both Crewchiefs in Vietnam in 1965. He was a good friend and learned much from him about being a mechanic and crewchief. I will always miss him. -Submitted by: Jack Limp [jacklimp@comcast.net] 2010-01-30

So sorry to learn Vic lost his life in 1970, always wondered about him. I served with him in 1961 to 1963 in Squadron HMM163. We served from August 2, 1962 to about October of 1963. Him and I and Ed Avila had many good times together in the Phillipenes and South Pacific. I remember going to a luau at his aunt and uncles in California before shipping out to Vietnam. He was always laughing and joking and I still miss him and remember him all these years later. Don Weingart -Submitted by: Don Weingart [dautuori@optonline.net] 2010-02-05

Vic was a great guy, when he was sober, and somerhing else when he drank. -Submitted by: anthony bieszke [ajbieszke@chartermi.net] 2011-12-01