Dear “Doc Sparky”,

Congratulations on your well deserved retirement.  I wish I could share this in person.  One of these days I have a feeling we will meet again.

For those of you present here today, let me introduce myself.  My name is Thomas J. “TJ” Miller and I was a crew chief in HMM-364, the “Purple Foxes” from November 1967 through November 1968.  I have a special interest in Corpsman Jack “Doc Sparky” Ehrhardt.  I was the crew chief on a Medevac mission just prior to the fateful crash of YK-13.  “Doc Sparky” was my corpsman.  As I remember, we landed on a dirt road a mile South of Hue City.  I do not remember the number of Medevacs we picked up.  My “grunt” brothers were behind a rice paddy dike for cover with the wounded.

As we touched down, we started taking fire.  I had no idea where it was coming from and am not sure if we returned any fire.  We had friendlies out there and were not sure of their positions.  The rear ramp dropped and “Doc Sparky” was headed for the dike, oblivious of the fire we were receiving, only focusing on the wounded.   He had totally disregarded my earlier instructions, “Do not leave the aircraft. The grunts will bring the wounded to us.  If things get too hot and heavy we may have to leave expeditiously.  I do not want to leave you out there.”  It wasn't the first time that had happened.  I knew full well the tenacity of the “Doc’s” we flew with.  They could not render aid if they didn't have their hands on the wounded.  They always only had that one focus -“administer aid to the wounded no matter the circumstance”.  “Doc Sparky” was no exception.  It is what “Doc’s” do.

After dropping our medevacs off at the Med Center we returned to our squadron area to ready for the next mission assignment.  Upon post flight of my aircraft I found some battle damage.  A round had entered the tunnel area above the fuselage and hit the sync-shaft.  The sync-shaft connects and synchronizes the forward and aft transmissions so the rotor blades do not hit each other.  This is a flight safety issue.  Zero tolerance for battle damage to that shaft.  My aircraft was down.  The gunner switched guns to YK-13 and “Doc Sparky” stowed his gear aboard the aircraft. 

If my recollection is correct.  YK-13 had flown a mission or two earlier that morning and was down for some particular reason, possibly a radio problem.  I had picked up the mission assignment.  By the time we had returned from our mission, YK-13 had been returned to the “up” status so they were reassigned Medevac standby.  At any moment a Medevac mission could be assigned and they would launch.

I told Cpl. Jerry Connor, YK-13 crew chief, the gunner (I do not remember his name) and I were going to check with the line chief and probably go to chow.  When I got back I told Jerry I would standby for him and then he could go eat.  As the gunner and I walked to the mess hall YK-13 passed overhead.  I wondered who was flying as gunner.  In the gunners absence Cpl. Norm Copeland, a crew chief, jumped aboard to fill in for the missing gunner.  The standing rule was no more than one crew chief per aircraft. My section leader, Sgt. Jim Shelton, grabbed an extra M-60 machine gun and was going to serve as a stinger on the ramp. On the way back from the mess hall I ran into a couple of squadron mates and they asked if I had heard about   “Mr. Lucky”, YK-13 as Jerry had called his aircraft.  “It crashed and everyone was killed.”  I said “that can not be, it must be someone else, I talked to Jerry but a few minutes ago”.  It was true.  In a heart beat, 2 pilots, 3 qualified crew chiefs and a “Doc” were gone forever. 

For 35 years I believed all were lost on that mission.  Two and a half years ago I got on the internet for the first time.  I was in total disbelief when I found the “Purple Fox” website and the narrative of YK-13.  “Doc Sparky” had survived.  After a bit of searching I stumbled onto Kelly Lea, niece of the pilot on that mission, Major Leonard Demko.  Capt. John Burke was the co-pilot.  She had been searching for information about her uncle and in some correspondence made contact with Clifford Hayes.  Once I had “Doc Sparky's” address I sent him a letter.

Ladies and Gentlemen you are in the presence of one of Americas finest.  Ask any Marine - especially a “grunt” - no one is held in higher regard than the “Doc”.  From me to you “Doc Sparky”, hand salute. 

Semper Fi “Purple Fox” brother,

Thomas J. “TJ” Miller