From Steve Lewis

Probably Gus Mann somewhere around Tugboat.

From Steve Lewis

Both of these pictures were probably taken around Cobb Bridge. This might be Gus Mann.  He was a radio man in first platoon.

SSgt. Don Grathwell on the USS Tripoli, 1968. P.J. Ronzo sent me the following story about Don. "I was following the long line of Marines going to rescue those unfortunate recon Marines on Hill 744.  All the others that went before me went over the same place in the flooded rice paddy.  Being different, as I usually am, I said to myself that I will just go a few feet to the left of everyone so as to not slide over the dyke in the mud.  So I did.  Now I remember going under water and looking up and was very aware that I was in trouble.  I could see a light above me, all I had to do was move over slightly and I would be ok.  As soon as that thought went through my mind a hand reached in to pull me up and out of the water.  I thought it was the hand of God letting me know it wasn't my time to go.  Of course it was Don's hand that pulled me out of the water.

From P.J. Ronzo

He asked me if I was ok and I told him yeah.  Then asked I him how far under water I was.  He replied that he could just see the tip of the antenna of the radio I was carrying.  That meant I was 2 feet under water.  That was my first conversation with Don." Don died July 21, 2001 while we were at the reunion in Arlington, VA.

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