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HonoringMarinesLostin1946Mt.RainierAirCrashByYMSSgtKelyshaJohnsonCarbonGlacierWAOnDecember101946aU.S.MarineCorpsR4-Dtransportaircraftwith32MarinesaboardcrashedintotheSouthTahomaGlacieronMt.Rainier.WintersnowfallcoveredalltracesoftheplaneanditsoccupantswhowereprimarilyMarineswhohadjustcompletedbootcamp.InJuly1947followingseveralmonthsoffutileeffortstolocatethecrashsiteAssistantChiefRangerBillButlersightedthepartsofthewreckageatabout8500feetontheglacier.AmonthlaterthevictimsandotherpartsoftheplanewerelocatedbyRang-erButleratapproximately10000feet.DuetotheextremehazardsfromrockfallsandavalanchesfromthenearbyTahomaCleaverthatcouldendangeranypossibleattempttoevacuatetheremainsthebodieswerelefttobecov-eredbysubsequentwintersnows.ThefamiliesoftheMarineselectednottohavetheirremainsremovedfromtheMountainattheriskofmorelossoflife.PointSuccesstoweringabovethere-mainsbecameanappropriatehead-stone.FormanysubsequentyearsindeferencetoparentsandothersurvivorsofthevictimsmostofSouthTahomaGlacierwasdeclaredoff-limitstotravelandexploration.InmemoryofthoseMarinesastoneMemorialwasplacedatRoundPassonthewestsideoftheroadwithinsightoftheglacier.Duetotheconstantshiftingofthemountainitisnolongerconsideredsafetopayannualtributetothe32Marinesfromtheirmemorialsite.MovingthecurrentRockMemorialfromMt.RanierNationalParktothenewTahomaNationalCemeterybelowthemountainwasinitiallyconsidered.How-everafterdiscussionwithfamilymem-bersaswellasthelocalMarineswhoeachyearhavekepttheirmemoryaliveitwasdeterminedthatrelocationwouldtakeawaythemeaningbehindtheorigi-nalplacementofthemonument.InadditionitwouldtakeanactofCon-gresstomoveamemorialplacedinaNationalPark.TheDepartmentofWashingtonMarineCorpsLeagueinconjunctionwiththesurvivorsofthoseMarinesburiedonthemountainconductanannualmemorialceremony.WiththeestablishmentofaMarineCorpsLeagueDetachmenttheMt.Rain-ierDetachmentinEnumclawWashing-tonthemembersreceivedauthorizationtoduplicatetheMemorial.TheMemorialislocatedintheVeteransParkinEnumclawWashingtononhigh-way410leadinguptoMtRainier.NoteHighway410hasbeenre-namedtheAllAmericanHighwayandisnotedastheterminusorendpointofthePurpleHeartTrailAcrossAmericabytheOrderofthePurpleHeartAssociationoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica.ByYMSgtMajAlexLoriaCol.WesleyFoxYoungMarinesVAMyunitisextremelyfortunatetobearthenameofaMedalofHonorrecipientColonelWesleyL.Fox.Serv-ingintheUnitedStatesMarineCorpsduringboththeKoreanandVietnamwarsCol.FoxworkedhiswaynotonlythroughalloftheenlistedMarineCorpsranksbutmadehiswayupthechaintoretireasaColonelin1993.HewasawardedtheMedalofHonorbyPresidentNixonin1971forhisactionsintheVietnamWar.DuringOperationDeweyCanyonhewasrstwoundedintheshoul-derwhenhiscompanywasattackedbyalargeenemyforce.FoxatthetimeaFirstLieutenantpersonallyneutralizedoneenemyforceanddirectedhiscompanytoattacktheothers.Afterhiscom-panysExecutiveOfcerwasmortallywoundedhecontinuedtoleadthecompanyintheheatofbattleorderingairstrikesandcoordinatingtheadvanceuntiltheenemyretreated.Hewastheonlyofcerleftinhiscom-panycapableofleadingthenalchargeandwaswoundedagaininthenalas-saultbutrefusedmedicalattentionwhilehereorganizedhistroopsandpreparedthewoundedforevacuation.Col.Foxisagreatexampleofatruelead-er.Hecaredforhistroopsbeforehimselfandnevergaveuponthetaskthatcon-frontedhim.WeareproudtobearthetitleofthisgreatMarinelegendandappreciatetheopportunitytocontinuehislegacyinourYoungMarinesUnit.IencourageYoungMarinestoresearchyourunitshistoryandbackgroundsothatyoumaytrulyappreciatewhatthesenamesstandfor.SemperFidelisColonelWesleyFoxAMarineCorpsLegendPhotocreditNPSPage16ESPRIT