Typhoon; described by lexicographers as a tropical cyclone or hurricane of the Western Pacific area and the China seas.

Typhoon; described by it's survivors as the worst possible storm ever.

Camp Fuji, a United States Marine Base located in the shadow of one of the most majestic volcanic mountains in the world was the site of a horrendous death and mayhem on October 19, 1979...the day that Typhoon Tip struck this section of Japan...the day that Mother Nature dealt a devastating blow to the 1,200+ men of what was known as BLT 2/4.

The Marines were billeted in the old WWII Quonset-huts in the section of the camp that sat directly below the fuel storage area and when Tip struck it struck with the force of a storm that was not witnessed for a dozen years prior.  The wind drove the rain against the large rubber bladders that contained the gasoline like giant water balloons.  As the rains trickled off of the bladders it collected in back of the earthen walls that were set in place to contain any possible fuel spills.  Finally the pressure was too much and a wall gave way and when it did it tore one of the bladders loose from it's anchor, ripping away it's hoses, releasing it's volatile contents to float atop the water.  Down the hill it flowed, flooding the Quonset-huts with it's explosive concoction until it was ignited by a heater in one of the huts.

In the explosion and ensuing fires, 51 Marines and 3 Japanese nationals were injured, fifteen Quonset-huts were destroyed and several other buildings were damaged. Of the 54 people injured, 13 Marines died

PFC Robert L. Brees

PFC Thomas J. Breunig

LCpl Willie Davis, Jr.

LCpl Philip E. Dupont

PFC Tyrone C. Elem

LCpl Ernest E. Gutierrez

PVT Gregory L. Hassel

PFC Roger A. Larson

LCpl L. C. Malveaux

Cpl Colim Miller

LCpl Orlando E. Sandoval

LCpl Robert V. Smith, Jr.

LCpl Stephen R. Turner

May God rest their souls...

This monument to that day now stands in Camp Fuji...

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