'Scarface' aviators have a long history and proud tradition

By: J. STRYKER MEYER - Staff Writer | Thursday, May 12, 2005 11:22 PM PDT ∞

Thirty-seven years ago, my six-man recon team was in a firefight with enemy soldiers during the Vietnam War. The heavily-armed enemy troops were attempting to surround us in order to annihilate us. As the fighting intensified, a Marine Corps Huey gunship roared across our perimeter, delivering a devastating fusilade into the advancing enemy forces.

The Marine aviators were from Camp Pendleton's Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 ---- with the unique radio call sign "Scarface." We could see the door gunner blasting enemy troops with his M-60 machine gun as enemy rounds ripped through the chopper. Every "Scarface" chopper was riddled by enemy gunfire that day. Through their heroics, my recon team of Army Special Forces and South Vietnamese commandos survived.

"Scarface" aviators have continued to serve our country since Vietnam, with an element recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq, with no fatalities.

There's no way to measure how many U.S. troops, Marines and Army grunts such as myself, who are alive Friday thanks to "Scarface's" courage and skills over the years.

Wednesday morning two "Scarface" helicopters stole the show at Garrison Elementary School's Career Day event when they landed on campus. Little did the students realize that those Marines were part of a fabled unit that's been serving our country since Dec. 1, 1943.

I'm biased. These Marine aviators and their predecessors occupy a special place in my heart from battles past. But when I see Friday's aviation warriors take time to visit little Garrison Elementary School, it reflects upon a human spirit that makes our aviators unique.

And, what few people at that event realized was that a May 10 Washington Post article reported on a May 10, 1967, "Scarface" mission on Hill 665 in S. Vietnam, where "Scarface" helicopter crew chief Ron Zaczek braved severe enemy fire to rescue a few severely wounded Marines and had to leave behind several dead Marines. Zaczek wrote about the agony of that time in a book "Farewell Darkness."

True to the Marine Corps motto Semper Fidelis ---- always faithful, Zaczek helped recovery personnel find the dead Marines' remains. The remains were buried in Arlington National Cemetery on May 10, 2005.

Today, he and the families of those Marines finally have closure 38 years later.

J. Stryker Meyer can be reached at (760) 901-4089.

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