Posted on 10/29/2007 4:31:41 PM PDT by RDTF
MISSION — Ernesto Gomez entered glory Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2007. He leaves behind his love, Carleen Gomez; beloved sons, Israel and Gabriel Gomez; four grandchildren, many others he cherished, and a tattered Bible.
Ernesto Gomez was a highly decorated Marine Vietnam Veteran, awarded the Medal of Valor.
His interests were many: motorcycles, stone masonry, prison ministry, golfing (who shot under 100) and cooking. He was an artist, bonsai enthusiast, poet and loved telling everyone about the Lord God his Savior.
Services will be at Grimes Funeral Chapels at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007, with full Marine military honors.
Graveside services will be at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 26, 2007.
The family invites you to send condolences at www.grimesfuneralchapels.com by selecting the “Send Condolences” link.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.
ping
Well done Brother..
God Speed to a brave soul.
Here’s health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve
In many a strife we’ve fought for life
And never lost our nerve;
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven’s scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.
Well done, thou good, and faithful servant.
Photo from: Hispanics in the Defense of America
Cpl. Gomez awarded the Navy Cross - Leatherneck Magazine 1968
Navy Cross Citation
For extraordinary heroism while serving with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262, in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam.
On 25 January 1968, Corporal Gomez was the Crew Chief aboard a CH-46 transport helicopter assigned an emergency medical evacuation mission on Hill 881 near the Khe Sanh Combat Base. The pilot proceeded to the designated area and landed in the zone as two Marines began leading a casualty, whose head and eyes were covered with bandages, toward the helicopter. When the entire landing zone was subjected to intense enemy fire, the two men were forced to drop to the ground.
Observing the blindfolded casualty attempting to reach the aircraft unassisted, Corporal Gomez Gomez unhesitatingly left the helicopter and rushed across the 25 meters of fire-swept terrain to the side of the injured man. Quickly pulling the Marine to the ground, he selflessly used his own body to shield his comrade from the hostile fire impacting around them, and as the enemy fire continued, he took cover with the casualty in a nearby rocket crater. Corporal Gomez remained in this exposed area until another crew member rushed to his assistance. Then the two Marines, protecting their wounded comrade from further injury, carried him to the helicopter. The pilot was quickly informed that the injured Marine was aboard, and the aircraft lifted from the hazardous area for the medical facility at Khe Sanh.
Corporal Gomez’s heroic actions were instrumental in saving his companion’s life and inspired all who observed him. By his courage, selfless concern for the safety of his fellow Marine, and unswerving devotion to duty at great personal risk, he upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
http://www.portraitsoffreedom.org/marines/gomez_e.html
The Story of a Hero
Reply Contact
CORPORAL GOMEZ’S NAVY CROSS
Photo from: Hispanics in the Defense of America
This award for personal valor was earned while a member of another squadron.
However, as manager of this site, I deem it an appropriate forum to display any
“Purple Fox’s” awards for valor of Navy Cross or higher.
Franklin A. Gulledge, Jr. Major USMC(Ret) On January 25, 1968 a HMM-262 helicopter crew drew a medevac frag to pick up a single casualty on Hill 881 South. The Chatterbox pilot approached the hill at 130 knots, the copilot keyed his AN/ARC-44 transmitter and radioed the Grunts. The casualty had a serious head wound, the pilots were told. The Grunts would rush him aboard as soon as the CH-46 landed. Back in the helicopter cabin the crew chief, Corporal Ernesto Gomez, manned his .50 caliber machine gun as they roared down toward the cratered hilltop.
As the aircraft touched down and the pilot lowered the collective, two Grunts crawled out of a bunker with the wounded Marine, whose eyes and head were totally swathed with bandages. The Grunts were still 80 feet from the helicopter when mortars impacted.
BLLAAAMM! BLLAAAMM! BLLAAAMM! BLLAAAMM!
The wounded Marine appeared confused and staggered around the crater as enemy fire whipped all around him.
Corporal Gomez yanked his electrical long-cord loose and ran out to help. He reached the wounded man and pushed him to the ground. As detailed in his subsequent Navy Cross citation, Gomez “selflessly used his own body to shield his comrade from the hostile fire impacting around them . . . .” He then encouraged another Grunt to help him, and together they carried the blinded Marine into the waiting H-46. With full topping power on the twin turbines, the helicopter jumped skyward for Charlie Med at Khe Sanh.
The above copied from:
Bonnie-Sue A Marine Corps Helicopter Squadron in Vietnam by Marion F. Sturkey, Heritage Press International 1996, p.433
AND NOW, THE REST OF THE STORY
(NARRATIVE PROVIDED BY ERNESTO “GOOIE” GOMEZ)
“About Hill 881. After I had the wounded Grunt, and thought the fire had somewhat subsided, I carried him towards my chopper. However, being at that altitude, and scared beyond belief, I quickly ran out of steam. My legs literally crumpled and I fell into a small crater, probably mortar made, and covered him again. I was right outside my chopper but completely exhausted. My gunner unhooked the intercom cords from his flight helmet and ran out to help us. He literally grabbed the wounded Marine, and with seemingly little effort, loaded him aboard the aircraft. What cover we had from the NVA gunner was actually the smoke from mortars they had fired into our position. My gunner was subsequently awarded the Silver Star for his actions. I know my guardian angel was at my side that day.”
The pilot, LtCol. Mel Stein Commanding Officer of HMM-262, told me we had taken hits while in the zone. His exact words were, “Something big has hit us Gomez.” I again unhooked and went outside to assess the damage. All the hits were right below the copilot’s seat, a bad place to be damaged because of all the bell cranks, pulleys and cable controls. I asked LtCol. Stein to go into a hover to see how the controls felt. He declined saying, “I’m going to try to make it to Khe Sanh, we’ve gotta get out of here.” We departed the zone with a “guns hot” clearance from LtCol. Stein.
When we arrived at Khe Sanh the damage was further assessed and a list of parts was prepared to facilitate the repairs. Two days later another crew chief, Cpl. Dennis Snider, and I changed two blades and a right engine actuator. Two pilots were “faxed” out to fly the bird back to Quang Tri.
One evening, while hiding in a hole at Khe Sanh, I ran into a Grunt named David Davila from New York city. David and I had been in Memphis together but he had dropped out of the aviation training program. We prayed together in that fighting hole. I remember being very cold and shivering, all I had was my flight suit without a T-shirt. I was only prepared for day flying. Then David gave me a big swig of hot coffee and he went back to his post at the perimeter.
Ernesto “Gooie” Gomez
Former Corporal USMC
http://forums.grunt.com/forums/p/37779/294268.aspx
The Angels snap to attention as Gomez enters the Heavenly Gate, to be greeted by God Himself -
“Well done, thou good and faithful servant!”
and so he takes his post in Glory...
I never met the man but my best friend, Michael K Nickerson and Gooey Gomez knew each other well.
Having ended up living at opposite ends of the continent doing different things with our lives we lost contact as young adults. Shortly after I left the Infantry, Mike was awarded a posthumous Silver Star for his performance at an event also attended by Gooey.
Before the internet I'd spent about 30 years fruitlessly trying to track down somebody who'd been there with him in the Nam. Then, one day he showed up as something more than just a name in the empty void ~ there were others ~ and a bit of work revealed a fellow named Richard L. Bianchino who took the time to explain it all.
Mike walked among heroes ~ real heroes ~ these guys all did fantastic things that day. Gooey seems to have done this regularly.
He was a true credit to the Marine Infantry and to America, and to mankind. He will be missed even by those who never met him.
From here
Gooie, and his wife Carleen, were continuing to serve this country by participating in a seven day Minuteman Civil Defense Corps mission near the city of Mission, Texas. On the evening of their third day they retired to some facilities provided by the Minuteman Headquarters where Gooie passed away in his sleep on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at approximately 4:00 am CST. .
Departed on October 23, 2007 and resided in Kerrville, TX.
He was less than 60 years old, and 22 months older than me.
He had just turned 20 when the actions which resulted in the award of the Navy Cross place.
Ping
Thanks for the ping and BUMP to Cpl Gomez... a true hero in the best sense of that overused word...
Another Marine reporting to the gates of glory. Mission accomplished.
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