Henry Terrazas 10/17/1946-11/3/1966

Incident Name: Camp Pendleton Brush Fire
Date: 11/1/1966
Personnel: 5 lives lost
Agency/Organization: US Marine Corps
Position: United States Marines, part of a staging battallion awaiting transfer to Vietnam

Summary:

The Fallen:
Lance Corporal Roger L. Zarbok, 19, St. Paul, MN
Private First Class Leslie W. Hendrix, 20, Keyes, CA
Private First Class Cecil J. Henshew, 20, Bellevue, WA
Private Lewis W. Connor, 20, Kenova, WV
Private First Class Henry S. Terrazas, 20, Austin, TX

Four marines were killed and another burned critically when they were trapped on a ridge while battling a brush fire at Camp Pendleton. A shift in winds caused a flashback fire. Survivor Pfc Henry S. Terrazas of Austin TX was airlifted to the base hospital. He suffered burns over 90% of his body and later died.

Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Terrazas;six brothers, Felix Terrazas, Albert Terrazas, David Terrazas, Joel Terrazas, Arthur Terrazas, and Edward Terrazas, Jr., Austin;seven sisters, Mrs. Nelda Cisneros, Mrs. Carrie Ruiz, Mrs Dora Macias, Mrs Sosana Alba, Miss Dorothy Terrazas, and Miss Paula Terrazas, Austin and Mrs. Sadie Felix, California.

The Terrazas Branch of the Austin Public Library was named “Terrazas” in honor of Henry S. Terrazas, a young Marine from East Austin who died in 1966 while fighting a forest fire.