HBD Marines

[Hank in WV]

 Happy 250th Marines.

[Winter Hawk]

I was cogitating on this the other day.  Back in the later 1950s we lived in the "country" outside the town of Kaneohe, Hawaii.  Across the bay was the Marine Air Station.  On a training flight a jet fighter developed mechanical problems and was going down in a residential area, Kailua if memory serves me right.  Instead of bailing out, the pilot stayed on board  and managed to keep the plane from plowing into a school, although it did impact into a housing development.  The pilot died fast; his helmet was found some distance away with his head still in it.  His sacrifice saved all those school kids.

As a former Navy man who has worked with numerous former jarheads, I salute the Marine Corps for making great men like this pilot!