Secretary, 2/4 Association, 2868 New Berlin Road, Jacksonville, FL 32226-1722
New book added to our book list:
A detailed recounting of the October 19, 1979 typhoon, fuel spill and fire that impacted BLT 2/4 at Camp Fuji, Japan. The incident left 73 injured, of whom 54 suffered burns. Thirteen Marines died. One week after the incident, the Marine Corps commandant visited nearly 40 horribly burned 2/4 Marines. “Having witnessed a lot of bad things, ugly things,” General Robert Barrow declared, “none can compare to that experience.”
Please find this book and others on our book list here.
I was with Weapons Company Dragon Platoon 2/4 at Fuji in 1979. I was flown to the Brook burn unit in San Antonio to recover. This book is as real as it gets. Chas Henry did a great job telling our story.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MGYSGT KEVAN L. WAITERS
I WAS WITH GULF 2/4. I WAS THE COMPANY CAREER PLANNER; I THINK ABOUT THAT DAY ALL THE TIME I THINK ABOUT THE MARINE THAT CAME AND WORN US TO GET OUT OF THE QUONSET HUT THAT A FIRE WAS HEADED OUR WAY. HE SAVE OUR LIVES I THINK ABOUT MY FRIENDS THAT ARE IN HEAVEN LOKING DOWN ON US. I HAVE WRITTEN A BOOK THAT HAS THE STORY ABOUT THE FIRE THE TILE OF THE BOOK IS BROTHER TO BROTHER
I haven’t read the book, but I was there. I was the Naval Gunfire Liaison Officer assigned to 3/12 in support of 2/4. If the Marines in the Quonset huts uphill from where 3/12 had theirs hadn’t been alerted and turned off their kerosene heaters, theirs and ours may have suffered the same fate as Weapons Company because we were all inside weathering the typhoon rains. I helped carry a burnt marine down to the aid station and Raggedy Ann had more muscle control than he did. It was torrential rain and I felt helpless because there was no firefighting equipment so having previous been to the Navy’s Firefighting school meant I had nothing that would affect the effort to control the fires. I tried to warn people that while gas masks would protect them from smoke as they searched the Quonset huts for survivors and injured, they would not replace the oxygen the fires had consumed, so doing so would endanger them as well.
I think about that day as well. I was in the huts at the top of the camp. Fortunately I had dispatch duty. I remember watching out the door at the storm when all of a sudden I smelled the fuel.I remember watching the camp go up in flames and watching fellow soldiers all running up towards me. There was one that came in the building that I will never forget. He is a black man but when he came in a lot of his skin was burnt off and hanging everywhere. Called medics that where over whelmed but got there. If by chance he reads this I hope he is in good health. I think of him often
I was there in the quonsets and we were told we had to leave. We evacuated in sideways rain pelting and went to the gym at the Japanese facility about 1/2 mile away. I have some photos of some burnt huts.
Tim Howell 0331, survivor of this tragic event. I want to say I was assigned to Golf Company. I was fortunate to be about halfway down the slope. It’s so great that our story is coming to light with the published book “Fuji Fire”. I know people are displaced thru out the states, but if our president would invite us to the White House for a reunion I believe hundreds of us survivors would gather… we need this to heal. I traveled 2 years ago to camp Fuji for the memorial, it was a great honor to represent those that could not make it…and our marines that died. I live near Naples,Florida the community of Ave Maria…. If near reach out…. Email howe217@gmx.com. Semper Fi