| The Incident
PFC Joel Corona was assigned to
Company C, Group Command, U.S. Army Support Command at Cam Ranh
Bay. On November 8, 1970, PFC Joel Corona was off duty and
decided to go swimming with friends at a hidden cove south of
Howell Beach in Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam.
When a piece of styrofoam the
group was using went into the water near a reef, PFC Corona
started to retrieve it. He was not a good swimmer, and one of his
friends warned him not to go after it. However, PFC Corona
entered the water and was hit by a wave which pushed him out into
the cove. He called for help, and several individuals attempted
to rescue him without success. He went under water and was
floating face down in the water.
A medical team arrived and
attempted to recover his body, but were unsuccessful because of
the turbulent condition of the water. PFC Corona's body was last
seen about 125 yards from the mouth of the cove being washed out
to sea. An extensive air, land and sea search was conducted
without success.
Corona's is one of the
unfortunate accidental deaths that occur wherever people are. The
fact that he died an accidental death in the midst of war is
tragically ironic. He is listed among the missing with honor,
because his body was never found to be returned to the country he
served.
|
