Memorial services were conducted at 1300, 20 December 1999 in the Base Theater, Mainside,
Camp Pendleton, CA.  CMC and CG, MARFORPAC were in attendance.  The Memorial
Services were held for those deceased listed above.

All were reported missing and presumed dead.  Their CH-46 helicopter got tangled with the
netting on the USNS Pecos and the pilot lost control and was pitched upside down into the Pacific
Ocean off Point Loma, CA.  All Force Recon personnel were from the 5th Platoon.   They were
standing up and preparing to "Fast Rope" on to the deck of the USNS Pecos as part of a training
exercise in preparation for deployment with the 15th MEU(SOC) next month.  This was a Joint
Operation with the SEALS, who were in the water aboard their boats preparing to assault from the
sea.  As the "bird" quickly sank (5 seconds), eleven (11) survivors "popped up" to the surface and
were immediately picked up by the SEALs.  Preliminary recovery efforts were unable to locate the
bodies of the missing in the 3600 feet of water where the accident occurred.  All of the deceased
were later recovered after an extensive search and recovery effort was conducted. 

The Eleven (11) survivors were:

CAPT. JAMES I. LUKEHART, JR, HMM-166, CLARK, OH
CAPT. ANDREW Q. SMITH, HMM-166, GA
CAPT. ERIC L. KAPITULIK, 1ST FORCE RECON - GROSVENORDALE, CT
1STLT MICHAEL J. BUTLER, 1ST FORCE RECON - COBB, GA
GYSGT. VOJIN MARJANOVICH, 1ST FORCE RECON - LAKE STATION, IN
SSGT. TIMOTHY J. MUELLER, 1ST FORCE RECON - DONIPHAN, KS
SSGT. MICHAEL S. ARCHER, 1ST FORCE RECON - ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL
SSGT. MARK R. SCHMIDT, 1ST FORCE RECON - MARSHALLTOWN, LA
SSGT. ROBERT G. WARD, 1ST FORCE RECON - TACOMA, WA
SGT. ROBERT T. EVERS, HMM-166, SPOKANE, WA
CPL. ADAM L. JOHNS, HMM-166, BUTLER, OH