An old Vet says thank you.

[Grandpa Shooter]

Last night after I dropped off my step son at his Dad's place, I stopped in a Big Lots store to pick up some pretzels for my buddy's Mom.  I was doing a quick check of the video racks when I looked up to see an older man with a walker looking at me.  I noticed he had a Navy Viet Nam vet hat on.  There aren't many of us left these days so I asked him when he was there.  He said the first time was in 1962.

At that my ears tuned in quickly.  I asked him when he was there next and he recited a litany of times and places he was.  Many of them were places only an operator would have been at that point in time.  He asked me when I was there.  I told him where, when and what.  He got a startled look and while shaking put out his hand and said, "Thank you for saving my ass!"  I looked at him, struggling to remember the face morphed back in time.  I couldn't place him in my defective memory banks and told him so.  He asked if I had ever left the river boats to go in and extract a team at this place and time.  I said Yes we did.

His response was, "I was one of them!"  This time he strongly shook my hand and again said, "Thank you for saving my ass!"  I can't rightly say it was him, but he believes I was there at that time.  If any of you are the one who really do the deed, I pass on the thanks he gave me.  From one old Vet to another, "Thank you!"

[Cromlech]

It's nice that he has a positive memory of his brothers-in-arms from what must have been such a tough time! Good stuff! 

[Tallpine]

He asked if I had ever left the river boats to go in and extract a team at this place and time.  I said Yes we did.

   You were on that mission     

(I read about it in the book that you loaned us)

Or did that sort of thing happen more than once?

[Grandpa Shooter]

  You were on that mission     

(I read about it in the book that you loaned us)

Or did that sort of thing happen more than once?

Yes

[Tallpine]

You're going to have to come back to visit and tell some more stories  (if you're up to it ? )

 

[Grandpa Shooter]

You're going to have to come back to visit and tell some more stories  (if you're up to it ? )

 

You may regret saying that.

[wmenorr67]

You may not have been the one to save his ass that day but may well know the one(s) that did.  So his thanks should go a long way in at least someone who did do that finally got it.

[Leatherneck]

GS, you do realize that we're becoming "The Old warriors" don't you?

Not to hijack, but a Major who works for me told me that he was in a class with a fellow Major whose Dad I might have known. It was a squadron mate of mine from '68-'70 whom I remember well. Told him some anecdotes about escorting his Bud's Dad in on a mission where he blacked out three times before landing at Danang.

After, I realized I was talking to, and about, Field-Grade officers fer gawd sake! Old is what we are, my friend.

TC

[Grandpa Shooter]

GS, you do realize that we're becoming "The Old warriors" don't you?

Not to hijack, but a Major who works for me told me that he was in a class with a fellow Major whose Dad I might have known. It was a squadron mate of mine from '68-'70 whom I remember well. Told him some anecdotes about escorting his Bud's Dad in on a mission where he blacked out three times before landing at Danang.

After, I realized I was talking to, and about, Field-Grade officers fer gawd sake! Old is what we are, my friend.

TC

I figured somebody would pick up on that.  In my inner mind I am still 19.  The VA says my body is more like 90.  I never expected to live long enough to be "The Old Guard" but here I sit, realizing it more every day.  My stepson, who is 19, has a hard time realizing I am 3 times his age.  When did that happen?

You may not have been the one to save his ass that day but may well know the one(s) that did.  So his thanks should go a long way in at least someone who did do that finally got it.

After I parted company with the "old man" I realized he probably had waited all these years wanting to thank somebody he never knew.  I know I owe my life to someone I never saw again.  So I guess it is fitting we met.  If he sleeps easier tonight, or the other night, then I am glad we met.