Posted on 12/24/2007 7:07:19 AM PST by Salena Zito
A longing for home By Salena Zito TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, December 24, 2007
Retired Air Force Reserve Capt. Ed Hrivnak recalls his first Christmas away from home, spent in Thumrait, Oman, on the eve of the Gulf War.
"I was very young, and it was really my first time away from home," says Hrivnak, 38, of Bethel Park, who has served in both Gulf wars and began keeping a diary during his first mission in 1990.
"There was a lot of anxiety about the upcoming war that night on Christmas Eve," he says. "At our field hospital, some British mercenaries had sponsored this Christmas Eve for us. ... I still get choked up thinking about this: Some big, burly, gruff guy with a great baritone voice got up and sang 'Silent Night,' 'The Star-Spangled Banner' and Great Britain's national anthem.
"I can still see everyone's faces. There was not a dry eye in the room."
That year, he wrote to his mother to tell her that although he wanted to be home for Christmas, spending it at the field hospital was one of the best Christmases he ever had.
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
God bless them all.
Prayers for all or troops in far away places, and close to home, May God bless them all.
Prayers for you too, Allegra, and other non-military personnel working overseas during the holidays.
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