Today I Met The Finest.

self | 11/10/07 | timydnuc

[timydnuc]

Today my wife talked me into going to our Veterans Center for the annual breakfast. Senator Norm Coleman and our Governor, Tim Palenty, were scheduled to speak. I agreed that I should go to meet and gripe at my republican legislators.

I arrived at the breakfast to find a large group of people, old and young. There were young Marines and soldiers in their dress blues. All ranks and all services serving the people that were there. There were many old gentlemen in their American Legion dress. I was served by a strong tall Marine who thanked me for my service (I had my Nam Vet hat on, that my son bought for me). I told him, "No son! I thank you". The tears started there.

I found a seat with a group of "old men" that were decked out in red. I didn't know what that stood for. Well, I learned real quick. They were prisoners of war during WWll. On their caps they proudly wore the name of their Stalag. They welcomed me and we talked of their adventures. It seems that they escaped three times, only to be recaptured. They laughed, laughed mind you when they told me that they thought they were closer to a border than they really were. When I asked them what happened to them when they were recaptured, they all stopped, looked into their coffee for a moment then changed the subject.

I met three old Marines that were members of the Chosin Few. Survivers of the battle of the Chosin Reserviour in North Korea. Look that battle up on the Web and you'll find a story that will break your heart.

I met a man in a wheel chair, he had no legs. He was a survivor of Pearl Harbor. He was aboard the USS Hawk, and was blown overboard. I met a tall white haired man, dressed very well. He had but one thing on that was of military vintage. It was an Army Air Corps officer's had, that had a 50 mission crush. He was a bomber pilot in the war. I met two old sailers that served the entire war aboard the USS Yorktown. The ship that the Japanese couldn't sink. Their pride shined through their wrinkled faces.

There were a Gathering of Eagles there as well. Nam Vets all. We talked and I admired their bikes and we stopped to remember those that were not there.

One old Vet came up to me and said he was sorry. Sorry because he and his didn't stand up for me and mine after Viet Nam. I told him that we had stand on our own, we had our war and we had to defend it ourselves. I thanked him for the thought. He was still sorry. That doesn't matter.

As I stood in that hall I realized that I was in the company of real greatness and I didn't bring much to the table. I saw a young Marine, in his blues, head held high, body straight and strong. He was walking with a crutch, and couldn't talk very well. He got hit in the head in Iraq. You could see the scars. But you could also see the pride in his deep brown eyes. I told him "Thank You", he looked at my hat and struggled out...Thank You. I lost it!

There was a very good orchestra. Military music. When they got to the Marine Corps hymn the injured Marine struggled to his feet, none of his Marine buddies would help him, he wouldn't have taken help anyway. They all sang the words to the entire hymn, at the end they gave a rousing UH RHA!

The politicians spoke and as I sat there I wanted to jump up and say, "Don't you pander the these brave men. Don't you ever. Can you see the price that has been paid for our libery in the room? Can you ever be as brave as these men? I don't think so".

This is the first time I ever went to one of these things. It won't be the last. There are great men out there that fought to save this country. I am proud of what I fought for in Viet Nam, but these guys saved the world. When they are asked why they did it, they gave the same answer that my father did when I asked him that question...."somebody had to do it".

Tonight I'll drink a toast to all the men that I served with, to my father (101st, D-day +1) and all the brave men I met today, and to all the brave men that gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Look at your greeter at your local Wal-Mart he just may have an old uniform shoved back in closet somewhere with a Metal of Honor stuck on it. These "old men" saved the world and never asked anything for their service but a job and a chance to be back home. Dear God, let me be as great and as humble as the fine Americans.

I saw a cartoon yesterday. There was a little boy standing next to his father watching a parade. The parade had some old men in American Legion dress marching, some on walkers. The little boy asked his dad, "who are those old men daddy"? His father replies, "Heros son"! That is the truth.

Thank your nearest Veteran. Freedom, it isn't free and it's brought to you by the ordinary American Hero, and I'm proud to be a member of that brotherhood.

God bless America, and God give us the courage of our fathers.

[archy]

Respects to Ya’ll on this day !

I hope it is easy for you and ya have a place in the sun to warm your old bones !

Stay safe !

Why, thank you, ya old troop. I got lucky and got the weekend off, and avoided the VFW ham and beens shindig in favor of doing up a couple of chickens on the backyard barbie- we got the meat finished just as the drizzle began right around sundown, which let us fly the old 48-star flag most of the day, at least.

I hope your day was as pleasant, and may you see many more, ya old far fella.

[archy]

I remember coming home thru Travis AFB in 1974 having to change my uniform before I was allowed off the base to go back home on leave. I felt like I was a convict.

The university musical director at our local junior college proudly tells the story of his overseas days when he and his fellow students stood on highway overpasses and threw rocks at troops on the observation platforms of troop trains en route to and from the SF Presidio.

I told him that on the train I took there, the old SF NCO in charge of us took all the armed document couriers and stationed us on the platforms to open up with our .45s if anyone threw rocks at us from the overpasses. When I happily informed the good sergeant that I had a takedown Winchester M1897 riot gun and buckshot anno in my duffel bag, he beamed and said he knew he could depend on an old 10th Group treadhead gunner. Sadly, we never got to let off a round.

When I added that interesting tidbit to the university weenies story, I thought he was going to wet himself. He knows me well enough to know that I would have fired and probably would have hit him.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

T h a n k _ y o u , _ V e t s ! ! !

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Lurker]

At about 3:00 this afternoon my boss called me into his office.

"It's Veterans Day. Go home. Anything you have on your desk will keep until tomorrow. And by the way, thanks."

Respects right back atcha, and to everyone who ever strapped on the uniform.

Semper Fi.

L

[Squantos]

All but one of us in my team is a Vet thus or policy of not working alone was the woe of all involved......:O)

A good day none the less !

I really liked Ex Soldiers report ! Too Cool of a School !!!

[Travis McGee]

Kudos to de boss man!

[jokar]

Thanks for posting this Timydnus.

I keep promising myself I'll go down to the American Legion or VFW but... I never do.

Seems so long ago we did this,
but yet sometimes, like today, it's also seems like it was just yesterday.
Interesting irony is my next door neighbors are Viet Namese boat people,
A constant reminder from God that we did the right thing.

I live in Southern Calif. So today I mowed the lawn and thanked
God for my legs and having a whole body after the things I put it through.

For sure, I ain't going to be running any 5 miles runs with full field pack.
I'll leave it to the new warriors.

I/we did our part, we answered the call and we are forever a part (noticed or unnoticed) of this great country's History.
It was an honor to serve and frankly I rarely talk of it to anyone.
1968 - 1969 RVN, Company H 75th Ranger Battalion

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thanks for the ping.

[timydnuc]

Jokar, you should go and meet these "old men" (I prefer the term "vintage heroes"). I was really uplifted and truly touched to the bottom of my heart.

I brought back memories with me, but those memories were good and they made me feel wonderful. This old Ranger was quite humbled to find these heroes. They have truly saved the world, you and I did the same, but it is just now coming to be written in history. Be proud, but be humbled in front of these men. You'll never look on a little old man with a funny hat and a satin jacket the same again.

I sat and drank coffee with these guys and listened. I heard more courage, humble courage, that I have ever heard since my father died (He was 101st, and he was D-day+1) he jumped into occupied Europe before D-day, he was in the bulge, and he marched across the Rhine, then he went to the pacific theater. But he seldom talked about it. These guys are my dad's age, had he lived that long. They are a wonderful breed, and they did save the world. Now we're losing them and it's up to me and you to carry this courage into this "modern" world, along with our service. The present generation will write their own history, in spite of the communist media in this country. They are fine men and they will win this war, and they should, but they won't, spit in the face of the left. They will be our next generation of political leaders, and they will clean this process up.

I'm done now. I hope you go down and have a beer with these guys, It's a life lifting experience.

[jokar]

My dad died about two years ago
and was a veteran of the South Pacific campaign.
He was an Army engineer,loved Doug Macarthur
(should have turned him loose on the Chinese)
and hated and mistrusted Japanese till the day he died.
IMHO, They were evil, blood thirsty, sadistic bastards for what they did to the lands they occupied.

He had several WWII era friends that were in the American Legion.
They had had some great stories and it is amazing the hardships they endured to win that war.

I love history and I ate that stuff up with a spoon.

[MEG33]

Blurry screen thank you for sharung your experience. I am so grateful to all of you who serve or have served our country.

America..Land Of The Free Because Of The Brave.
Thank You, Veterans