I was with Dragon Platoon 2/4 and was a short timer, we had arrived at Camp Fuji and I was assigned to guard duty until I checked out and rotated back to the States. I had two 4 hour tours of duty every day from 0000 (midnight) to 0400 and 1200 to 1600 at the ammo dump. I remember that day of 19 October 1979, I had gotten up at 1000 grabbed a shower and lunch before going on duty. Reported to the guard shack at 1130 hours for duty, we were informed that the three of us would be out at the ammo dump during the Typhoon, and that there was an empty Conex Box that we were to use for protection.
We changed posts at the dump about 1215 hours. A little about the ammo dump, it was about a mile from the barracks area, was an area enclosed by concertina wire, had conex boxes that contained the battalions ammo, a couple of light poles and a guard tower. The duty consisted of walking the perimeter, standing watch in the tower check the Conex Boxes and make sure they were locked, and of course keep all unauthorized people out of the area.
The weather was windy the temperatures were getting cold and it was raining, as the winds picked up, I was in the watch tower and it started to sway I finally decide that it was to get out of dodge and started down the ladder, about half way down a burst of wind ripped me from the ladder, I landed about 10 ft away flat on my back, I scrambled up, to get to cover. The wind was driving the rain horizontal and it was actually stinging when it hit. I was wearing long johns, BDUs, field jacket with liner, a full rain suit and an old style rain poncho ( the ones made of canvas and rubber coated ).
The three of us got into the empty Conex Box, the winds were blowing so hard the empty Conex Box was actually moving on the wet ground as to rocked back and forth. The wind and the rain was loud, it sounded like a freight train going by. The winds finally died down and we started back on our duties, we tried to phone into the guard house and found that the field phone was dead. One of the guys noticed that there was smoke coming from the camp. We were wondering what was happening back at camp.
We continued on our duty, at 1600 hours we were not relieved, so we were wondering what had happened, not getting relieved or notified that you were staying on duty is very unusual. Well we were on duty until we were relieved. By the time 1830 hours it was getting dark and we were starting to get really cold. My hands were numb, my feet were soaked and freezing, I would have built a fire if I would have had a way to.
At 1900 hours a Deuce and half came up to the gate, we challenged them, they said they were our relief, but they were not part of the guard detail that existed that morning. It turned out that they were permanent personal the had temporarily taken over the the guard. We were relieved, I was so numb that I could not climb into the back of the of the Deuce and a half, two marines dragged me up into the back.
We got back to the lower camp and and into a building, the three of us got out of our outer gear and huttled around the stove, we were was so cold the that we could get to close to the heater, it felt like it was burning. Someone handed me a cup of coffee, I felt like heaven just getting that hot liquid into my body.
About that time my lieutenant showed up, he was happy to see us as we were listed as MIA (Missing In Action). This was because the list of who was out on post had been lost in the fire. Someone finally show up with hot food, that made the insides feel good.
I learned about what had happened and that we were across the street at the Japanese school. It was a shock to learn about the guys that were injured, Mortar platoon had gotten the worse with Dragon platoon getting several Marines burned. Then we started hearing about the guys dying.
I don’t recall to much of what happened after that, we had stayed at the Japanese school for a couple of days, I remember doing fire watch once, packing my gear, leaving Camp Fuji, and the flight back to the States.
Being on guard duty turned out to be lucky for myself and the guys that were with me, we missed out on the initial horrors. I lost a few friends that day, may my fellow Marines remember that day and keep the families of the fallen in their prayers.