May 16

Good evening.

I am a retired Marine writing a book about an October 1979 typhoon, fuel spill and fire at a U. S. Marine Corps training camp on the lower slopes of Mount Fuji, Japan. The incident left 73 injured — most of them Marines, many horribly burned. Thirteen died. 38 of the injured were evacuated from Japan to Brooke Army Medical Center.

Among the many people in San Antonio who rallied to help those Marines and their families were volunteer MARS operators who set up a station on the hospital’s seventh floor. They spent hours arranging phone patches for the Marines’ families — allowing them to avoid long-distance telephone charges while keeping relatives updated on their loved one’s health, and taking care of business in their hometowns.

The help made it easier for family members to remain by their Marine’s bedside — which doctors said increased patients’ likelihood of survival.

Would your club (sent ot SARC originally) by chance have any sort of historical records documenting this kind service? Might any of the volunteer operators who helped be available to share recollections?

I will be doing research in San Antonio from Saturday, May 21 until Saturday, May 28. Should it be possible to learn more about this aspect of the story of the Camp Fuji Marines, I would be most grateful for any available information.

More about me — and examples of my work — can be found at ChasHenry.com.

Thank you for your consideration.

Gratefully, and Semper Fidelis,
Chas Henry

Mobile: +1 703.303.3083

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