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"I thought you were dead!" (Read 513 times)


You'll ruin your knees!

    More than once over this past few days have I heard this phrase spoken between two buddies, combat vets of the 1st Calvary Division, Charlie Company. Having come through probably the most humbling event of my life, I thought I'd share. My uncle served in Vietnam in 1967/68 and was wounded on May 8, 1968. This was the day that Charlie Company would lose over 1/3 of it's force, 14 killed and more than 30 wounded. Within two months of May 8th, my uncle was back home in Pike County, Arkansas, believing a number of his brothers were dead, also falling in a North Vietnamese Regular army all out assault with elements of two divisions pressing the advanced position of the 170 or so men in Charlie Company. I had the honor of accompanying my Uncle to a reunion of his unit this weekend and I watched as the 60-something crowd slapped backs, laughed, cried...healed. I'm fighting tears as even as I type this, believing I have a much better understanding of just what we ask our young men and women to sacrifice in Vietnam, Afganistan, Iraq... I accompanied the men of Charlie Company to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, VA, where they laid a wreath...what an awesome sight to see the Color Gaurd pay these men such ultimate respect. I was with them at The Wall, watching time after time, as one of the brothers would find a name of someone that was next to them when they took their last breath... I watched this man... locate the name of his older brother, a Staff Seargent killed on May 5, 1968. Upon hearing the news of his brother's death, this man resigned his position as an Alabama State Trooper and enlisted, demanding to go serve in his brother's unit...he did and attended this reunion (his first) as a relative AND a veteran! Powerful story! What a debt we owe our troops. Anyway, once again, I feel compelled to encourage each of you reading this to find ways to support our troops, regardless of whether you support the politics behind the actions in which they are engaged. They were, and as I found out this weekend, still are willing to die for you! Just sayin, Lynn B

    ""...the truth that someday, you will go for your last run. But not today—today you got to run." - Matt Crownover (after Western States)

    zoom-zoom


    rectumdamnnearkilledem

      Thanks, Lynn. I'm sure the stories some of these guys and gals had to share were amazing and still very vivid in their memories.

      Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

      remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

           ~ Sarah Kay

        What a debt we owe our troops. Anyway, once again, I feel compelled to encourage each of you reading this to find ways to support our troops, regardless of whether you support the politics behind the actions in which they are engaged.
        A large debt indeed! I couldn't agree more with these comments. Thanks so much for sharing, Lynn! It reminds me of my grandfather's (WWII vet) funeral two years ago. Lots of his "brothers" turned up to make sure he got a proper send off - some of them had served together and obviously hadn't seen each other in quite some time because I overheard comments similar to the ones you did. I thought I was "above" crying until they called me up to receive the flag that had draped his coffin. It certainly gave me a new perspective.

        When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?