Photo Pages of The Lucky Red Lions HMM





			HMM-363 Patch Vietnam 1967: My HMM-363 patch from 67-68 George Curtis

			PROUD Marines of Hispanic decent serving HMM-363 PATCH: Those Marines of Hispanic decent serving HMM-363s "LUCKY RED LIONS" under LtCol Frank Allgood in 1968 showed PRIDE in their Hispanic Heritage with this Patch. We were BLESSED to have them in our Squadron. John Olivarri

			HMM-363 History photo: A collage that 1stLt Seth Gibson HMH-363, 2004, put together from our historical Red Lion photos. Submitted by; Paul Fortunato LtCol, USMC Red Lion Commanding Officer

			HMM-363 Leatherneck April 1969: This is the Art Illustration by Major A. Michael Leahy for the first of a five page story by Major Gene Salter Jr. that appeared in the April 1969 edition of Leartherneck Magazine. The crew that day, 21 December 1967, was LT Col Sam Beal MAG-16 XO, Major Gene Salter Jr., CPL William D. Carpenter, LCPL George T. Curtis and HM2 Albert Villanavua. The aircraft was YZ67 ( UH-34D) it was shot down by heavy 12.7 and AK-47s while working Emergency MEDEVAC for Mike 3/7" Beachnut Team MIKE " The aircraft was destroyed. The crew along with 5 Medivacs were rescued off a sandbar in Arizona Territory by LT. Col William "Bill" Beeler ( CH-46 ). George Curtis

			USS IWO JIMA LPH-2 1968 PATCH: My Patch from the USS IWO JIMA 1968. HMM-363 was aboard while working Khe Sanh & Hue support during TET 68. George Curtis

			LPH-5 / USS Princeton Patch: HMM-363 (Fall 68) as well as other Squadrons served aboard the Princeton. George Curtis

			HMM-363 Squadron Photo 1968 "HMM-363 Squadron Photo 1968" Taken aboard the USS Iwo Jima in FEB 1968. The C.O., Col Frankie Allgood (seated left front) was later killed in action on March 26, 1968.My thanks to Dewey Steele for giving this picture to Guy Lewis (both former HMM-363 members) who in turn gave it to me. We have been able to identify some of the people here, can anyone find Secretary Buz "Tailwind" Shantry? Roy Zimmermann

			HMM-363 Leatherneck Magazine April 1969 This is more OUTSTANDING COMBAT ART work done by Major A. Mike Leahy for Leatherneck Magazine, April 1969. This illustration is of HMM-363's YZ-67 on fire in Flight over Arizona territory on 21 December 1967. The UH-34D had just lifted from MIKE 3/7 "Beechnut Team Mike" with Emergency MED-EVACs. The Aircraft was struck with dozens of 12.7MM and AK-47 rounds, both in the zone and again while lifting off. The aircraft crash landed on a sand bar in a river and destroyed by fire. The crew was Lt Col Sam Beal MAG-16 XO, Major Gene E. Salter Jr., Cpl William D. Carpenter, LCpl George T. Curtis, HM2 Albert Villanaua. We continued to take heavy amounts of sniper fire for over 30 minutes and were rescued by LtCol William "BILL" Beeler flying a CH-46. Silver Star Medals, DFCs, and Purple Heart Medals were awarded but the most important thing is that ALL the MED-EVACs and Aircrew lived. George T. Curtis

			UH-34 Gunner: Operation Foster Nov 1967 Red Lion HMM-363 gunner up to his knees in links and shells during troop insertion during Operation Foster. Michael Leahy

			YZ 80 one of HMM-363s LUCKY RED LIONS goes down at Hill 881 YZ 80 CrewedPiloted by Dan Smithson and crewed by Sgt Willard C. Moyer, Crashed at 881 (KHE SANH) S/Sgt Bob Adams "HABU" 66-67 WeimAdams@cs.com

			HMM-363s "LUCKY RED LIONS" YZ-80 Down on 881 YZ80 crash on 881 1967 Piloted by Dan Smithson and crewed by Sgt Willard C. Moyer, Crashed at 881 (KHE SANH) S/Sgt Bob Adams "HABU" 66-67 WeimAdams@cs.com

			HMM-363s YZ-80 down at Hill 881 HMM-363s LUCKY RED LIONS YZ-80 down at hill 881 Piloted by Dan Smithson and crewed by Sgt Willard C. Moyer, Crashed at 881 ( KHE SANH) S/Sgt Bob Adams "HABU" 66-67 WeimAdams@cs.com

			Cpl McFadden HMM-363 Lucky Red Lions Crew Chief 1967 WIA and Med-Evaced out of country, I stopped and saw him at Oak Knoll USNH, Oakland Ca. he was in bad shape and I believe he was Med Disch. S/Sgt Bob Adams "HABU" 66-67 WeimAdams@cs.com

			GySgt A.J. Kelly HMM-363 Lucky Red Lions Motor T Dong Ha 1967 GySgt A.J. Kelly Motor T but he was in the unit at Dong Ha 1967 S/Sgt Bob Adams "HABU" 66-67 WeimAdams@cs.com

			Civilian Medevac HMM-363s LUCKY RED LIONS S/Sgt Bob Adams "HABU" 66-67 WeimAdams@cs.com

			HMM-363 Jerry Sheridan 1968 Another OUTSTANDING Marine from HMM-363s "Lucky Red Lions" 67-68. Dick Allen

			HMM-363 LUCKY RED LIONS Avionics 1966 Avionics shop from L-R GySgt, UNK, Cpl. UNK, UNK, Scott Whalen, Sgt. Jack Varelli, Jim Prine (Hidden), Ben Ellis, SSgt. UNK., Sgt. Frank Czuba, Lt. UNK. Richard S. "Dick" Allen budster.fd@verizon.net --------- I believe the "unk Lt" is Lt Holland, the squadron avionics officer. The guy between Ellis and Czuba might be Dick Geist...Avionics -------- From Dick Allen via email: Marine with sun glasses lower left, is C. E. Cox Sgt. Jack Varelli Sgt.....Avionics 8/66...9/67 jjv43@cox.net

			HMM-363 1966 Ky Ha L/Cpl Dick Allen points out some serious A/C Damage from rocket attack -------------------------------------- I've got the same picture, minus the "budster". The holes must have made a big impression on us Avionics dudes. Jack Varelli // HMM-363 Avionics (66) jjv43@cox.net

			Cpl. Tony "Texican" Cordova Crewchief HMM-363 66/67 Tony and his bird @ Ky Ha. "The Texican" can clearly be seen in red lettering on the bird. Dick Allen

			L/Cpl Steve Schultz HMM-363 Combat Aircrewman Dong Ha 67 Steve Schultz showing muscle at Dong Ha. Dick Allen

			U.S. Army CH-54 "Sky Hook" lifts UH-34D for HMM-363 in Ky Ha 66 Budster snapping Sky Hook in action retreiving one of our own. Update: My aircraft, YZ-74, went down southwest of Chu Lai in October of 66. We were doing SAR work while assigned to Chu Lai. The call came in that an A-4 was hit and the pilot ejected. When we arrived in the area, We could see the last of a smoke signal. The pilot, Capt J. J. Foley, approached from the high side and went down the valley so I, the crew chief, could see the tree line. We never caught sight of the pilot. We made two runs at the location but, no good. As we were climbing out, the engine just quit, as if the magneto was turned off. We landed in a rice paddy after a 2,500 ft auto rotation. We got on our sister bird and got out of the area real fast. About two weeks later, we came back for the bird. It had been worked over by the VC. Me and my gunner, I believe it was Mike Tripp, removed the main rotor blades and got the lift sling ready for the H-54 that lifted YZ-74 back to Ky Ha. I believe that the photo is of that touch down at Ky Ha. I was a Sgt at the time. I believe that I am the left most man in the picture. We were brought back by one of the CH-46's, and dropped off about five minutes prior to the 34 arriving . To continue, after it was dropped off, we removed the engine and other usable gear, A CH-46 picked it up, and was on the way to Da Nang. The 46 got as far as the lams outfit on the tip of Ky Ha when the 34 started to make like a pendulum and it had to be pickled over the ocean. All our hard work shot in the foot. Charlie "Dan" Danan GySgt USMC Ret. Dick Allen

			Cpl. Ed Freger HMM-363 Crew Chief 1966 Cpl. Ed Freger inspecting his bird. I remember Ed as a crewchief in 66/67. Unfortunately I don't remember where I took this shot. Dick Allen

			Cpl. Rodriguez My Mexican bunkmate in Ky Ha 1966 Cpl. Rodriguez. Don't recall his MOS or function but he was quite the character. Anybody else recognize him? Dick Allen

			Digging a hole! Members of HMM-363 preparing a shelter for those times when rockets and grenades rained upon us. Ky Ha 66, L/R Cpl. Gary Cook, L/Cpl. Scott Whalen, PFC Jim Prine, Cpl. Curt Williams, Unk and Cpl. Thrower. -------------------------------- Gary Cook, Avionics, is in this picture....he rotated back to the States before we were ever in Dong Ha....I think the Budster is correct and this is Ky Ha. Jack Varelli jjv43@cox.net Dick Allen

			Cpl. Thomas Walsh Cpl. Tom Walsh offering up cold soda to the troops of HMM-363 in 1967 at Marble Mtn. I believe. Good old Tom always wanted to be in charge of something, here's what he wound up with. Dick Allen

			Guertin in gear. Quite sure this is John Guertin, crew member HMM-363 I think in KY HA. Around 9/66, note the deluxe accommodations. Dick Allen