this is a copy of a letter I received from the Medical Officer who treated Mr. Duggan:

This is a copy of a letter I received from the Medical Officer who treated Mr. Duggan: "I was the Medical Officer on the Gridley the evening that our SAR Helicopter took heavy fire and Duggan Was Mortally wounded.  If you were there you'll recall that the helo's generator was shot out and there was fear they'd ditch.  It was a frightful sight to watch a wounded pilot (Col. Joe Breka) and a wounded co-pilot (Lt.JG John McMinn) trying to keep the copter out of the water as they aproached our fantail sputtering and dipping their wheels.  It was cold and rainy and overcast with low clouds and light was fading, and we all feared they would smash into the fantail, but Breka masterfully crash landed against the aft missle launcher and the blade hit the mount and stopped as the pilot and co-pilot slumped over from wounds, shear fear, and exhaustion.  When the crew had secured against fire Duggan's body fell out of the starboard hatch into our arms and he was awake and terrified.  I will never forget the look in his eyes and the blood in his light blond hair.  He was slight of build and the left side of his chest had taken three or four 30 caliber wounds.  He was sucking air into his chest cavity and losing life quickly.  Later we surmised that his pulmonary main artery had been hit.  Medic Frank Dickson and myself and others put him immediately on a respirator and as fast as we could closed the sucking chest wounds, but we could not get ahead of the bleeding.  We drew blood from crewmen on the mess tables and poured it into him as fast as we could.  We called for transport to the carrier and stabilized him enough to move him to the helo deck.  The weather had turned sour and the carrier helo hovered dangerously above us, but then he fell limp in my arms and we could not risk a dangerous choper landing because he was already with God.  That night I sat down and composed a letter to his Mom and Dad, a copy of which I still keep.  We all shed many tears and I still do when I think of that senseless loss of life.  He died very bravely and I will always remember that fateful night for all of us"           LCDR Bob Loneran COMDESRON 19 June 1966-July 1967

This is a letter I received from Jim Hampton BTCM-USN-RET: "It was our first day on the line in Jan 67 that the Helo was hit.  Everyone on the Helo was hit except the Asst Gunner.  Duggan took a round in the chest that came through the bottom of the helo.  He was not wearing the front part of his "flak" jacket.  It was uncomfortable to lay on it and fire the machine gun.  We didn't count the holes, but you could see daylight anywhere you looked from. Several rounds hit the seat that the pilot and co-pilot sat in.  This was the only steel that was capable of stopping a round.  Both pilot and co-pilot are alive today by a mere half inch. Due to the need for blood, Duggan was placed on the mess deck and crewmembers with his blood type were laid on mess deck tables to give blood.  More than 75 people showed up to give blood to keep him alive.  The Doctor realized that to save him he needed to get him into surgery, as he was pumping it out as fast as he could pump it in.  A twin rotored Helo (CH-46) came from the carrier with a medical team.  (this was the first known CH-26 that ever attempted to land on a DLG).  Duggan was moved to the helo but died before he could be placed in it.  He was placed in the reefer overnight.  His body was flown off the next morning.     Note:  Guys, this is a memory from 34 years ago.  It is clouded by time.  But I will never forget the stretcher crew bringing Duggan back into the ship after he died.  It isn't something you easily forget.  It was a very traumatic cxperience for a 22 year old BT2. As memorial day approaches may we remember him in our prayers as we remember those that gave the ultimant sacrifice in service to their country. " "On Behalf of a Grateful Nation" Jim Hampton BTCM-USN-RET