I'm starting a collection of the Memorial Day threads by redrock.
I'll ping you when the new one is posted.
This way you'll have the whole collection also.
MEMORIAL DAY--Thread One--"Discussions With a One-Legged Man"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1141564/posts
MEMORIAL DAY--Thread Two--"My Daddy's Finally Home..."
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1142082/posts
MEMORIAL DAY--Thread Three--"The Bodybags of Afghanistan and Iraq"--(Roger's Story)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1142776/posts
Tonk, thanks for the ping. These are all good essays. Pinging my short list.
CG, KT, & TWS; I think you'll enjoy these.
bump
I'll walk two small graveyards,one from Revolution,in Maine.
Please add me to the ping list!
BTTT!!!!!!!
The nursery had to come to the house to replace a tree that'd kacked & I'd told 'em *not* to send the same team out as they had, before. (~the first guys didn't know their butts from holes in the ground, as a result my beloved tree died due to the imbecile's carelessness...)
Anyway, three guys in their late 20s to early 30s show up with the new tree, & one of the guys has a Marine E5 tattoo, the kind of insig one'd see on a Marine's Class A?
The young man's the quiet type, rarely making eye contact with me, so I take the initiative & ask, "You a Marine, Mister?"
He says, "Damned straight I am." ~very matter-of-factly.
I tell him I'm ex-Army & he says, "That right, well OK."
I asked if he'd seen any combat in the War on Terror, & he tells me he'd just returned from a year in Iraq.
Was stationed outa Fort Campbell, KY, with a small Marine Reserve attachment located there.
I told him, "Welcome home my friend. Job well done!"
He looked at me (& my outstretched hand) kind of incredulosly, slowly extended his soiled hand to shake, & said, "Thanks." n Abrams M1 tank commander, no less, & then the stories start.
As it turns out his "Boss," the guy with him & the other fella -- an even quieter guy -- are Marine EOD; &, the three are childhood pals who enlisted in the Marine Reserves, together.
Man-oh-man what a time I had talking with these guys.
Between 'em, they related many great stories of their experience over there, including tales of odd lizards & the Camel Spiders.
The tanker had a degree in Social Studies & due to the timing of his return was too late to catch on with a (High) school to teach so was working with his pals at the nursery to eat & pay the rent until next semester.
They came straight faced & left with the kind of smiles only an exchange of military experiences/stories can give a guy, y'know?
BTW, we *did* talk politics and these 3 were pretty damning of the 'Rats, the Liberal-Socialist mediots overall & in particular the fruad John Kerry.
We *all* howled at the guy's 3 Purple Hearts & what they knew he'd endured to recieve 'em.
Funny how the military people know about the Kerry louse but the public hasn't a clue.
Poor 'Rats.
Given what they'd told me of their opin & that of -- virtually -- every other guy & gal in uniform?
I sure in the hell hope the 'Rats aren't looking to our fighting forces.
...for votes. :o)
Thanks for the ping, Tonkin!