May 21, 1967The attack had started at 1730. and lasted until 1800. Approximately, one hundred and eighty artillery rounds had been dropped on Hotel. The first chopper, a CH-46A, arrived at about 1830 and four Marines, on the edge of death, were rushed aboard. After a serious contact, when casualties exceeded the capabilities of the available medevac choppers to evacuate all the wounded simultaneously, wounded Marines were sorted by Corpsmen. The Corpsmen sorted the wounded into three classes, those who would survive if they received immediate medical care, those less seriously wounded who would survive a delay in being treated and those with little hope for survival no matter how quickly they received medical attention. The Marine KIA were the last to be evacuated from the site of a firefight, a mortar or artillery attack. The medical term was “triage”. The 4 Marines lost were;
Gunnery Sergeant Harry Davis, Tucson, AZ
Staff Sergeant Hildra McCoy Jr., Wilmington, NC
Lance Corporal James Johnson Jr., Ponca City, OK
Private George Wright Boring, OR

Written by Sgt. Edson F. Bellis, USMC
"I was there, Semper Fi. Brothers"

Johnson, James, Jr., LCpl