Where's the crying smilie when you need it?? I'm old enough to remember Vietnam and the boys from Ramona who were sent there, only to be killed or to return home so messed up that they spent what was left of their lives in a living hell. Their names are on that wall, and if I ever get the chance to see it, I want to find them and say "thank you" in person. Thanks for sharing this, Toby.........you sure know where to find these things!
Who Were You With? by William R. Miller A few years ago I was strolling with my wife through a fall festival in a small Kansas town. I was wearing a red ball cap with an eagle, globe, and anchor logo on the front. I noticed another man with a similar hat as he passed us in the crowd. He stopped, turned to me, and said, “Who were you with?” “1st Marine Aircraft Wing, MASS Duce [Marine Air Support Squadron 2], Dong Ha on the DMZ [demilitarized zone], ‘68–‘69. You?” I answered without thinking. “2/5 [2d Battalion, 5th Marines], Hue City, Tet ‘68, Semper fi,” he said and walked on. “Who was that?” my wife asked. “Just another Marine,” I said. Just another Marine, what an understatement I thought. At other times that day, I saw a cruise jacket, a sweatshirt, and two more ball caps all representing the Marine Corps. I saw the emblems of no other Service. Since then I have become more aware, and I have noted that I see Marine Corps bumper stickers and rear window decals, not Army. I see Marine Corps flags outside homes, not Air Force. And I see Marine caps and jackets, seldom Navy. I started counting, and I actually see about 20 Marine symbols to each display of the other Armed Forces. Yet, the Marine Corps is still the smallest of the Services. Could it be that “once a Marine, always a Marine” is true? Could it be that there is a greater pride in having been one of the few? For the last 5 years I, too, have asked the question, “Who were you with?” I have always gotten an answer; no one has ever asked, “What do you mean?” Marines understand the question. A few times the ball cap has represented a son or daughter. But even their parents know the units with whom their children are serving. The pride of their being with the Marines is also in the parents. This year, at the same festival, I met four Marines. One young man said he spent the Marine Corps birthday, 10 November 2004, in Fallujah with 1/3; the second had helped the 2d Marine Division take Kuwait City in 1991; and the third served with me in Vietnam, only farther south at Chu Lai in 1970. But the one that I remember the most was the man in a worn, faded cruise jacket, walking slowly with a cane, and being passed by the crowd. I walked to his side, slowed to his pace, and asked, “Who were you with?” He stopped, turned, stood up straight, and looked me in the eye. “5th Marine Division, Iwo Jima, 1945,” he said. A chill went through me and I knew I was in the presence of a history maker. “Thank you,” I said. He smiled and said, “You?” As we talked I told him that I had been an air control officer in Vietnam and that my son had just completed three tours in Iraq with Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2. Then before I knew it, he was thanking me. He continued to tell me how much harder it is today to tell who the enemy is and how much he admires our young Marines. Today I teach biology at Baker University in Kansas, and I often tell my students that they have not yet had history happen to them. They do not remember Pearl Harbor or know what happened at the Chosin Reservoir or even where to find Con Thien on a map. At times I get to tell them about Marines whom I have met and the history they helped make. But still it is hard for them to understand what an injured Army captain I met on China Beach meant when he told me, “The most beautiful sight in the world is a Marine F–4 rolling in hot with snake and nape.” These events are not just part of history; they are history. Had their results been different, the world would be different. “Who were you with?” says more than “Where were you when . . . ?” or “What were you doing when . . . ?” It says participant not spectator. It says Marine. So the next time you see an eagle, globe, and anchor on a hat or shirt pocket ask the simple question, “Who were you with?” Listen to the answer of a unit, a place, and a time and think about that moment in history. But more than that, listen to the pride saying, “I am a Marine.” Dr. Miller served with the 1st MAW, Marine Air Control Group 18, MASS–2 in Vietnam from 1968–69. He is currently working in the Department of Biology, Baker University, Baldwin City, KS
I'm new here so just wanted to give a shout out to all those who have served, are serving, will serve and those who have a loved one who is one of the above. Happy Veterans to all and thank you for your service and sacrafice. It's never easy but our military always gets it done. Semper Fidelis from one vet to all of you. Oohrahh!!!:icon_toast:
hey dad pass was great i got some pictures for you but guess what you wont believe this i will be coming home probabally december 3rd so you might have to pick me up and then maybe we can go the game. i dont know i leave here on the 1st so well see how long it takes me to get home. i asked to go on the 1st and they finally gave it to me.well ill talk to you later dad Looks like my oldest will be home just in time to go to the Raider game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aw, dammit Toby, you've done it to me again.......:icon_sad: What a beautiful tribute to our Vietnam vets!:flag:
You guys are never gonna believe this: My daughter is having lunch tomorrow at Ft. Campbell with none other than the President of the United States. She and 99 other soldiers were picked for this honor out of all the personnel on the base. So what if it's just another photo op for Bush in the waning days of his term? MY kid gets to eat lunch with him!!!:flag:
Mine is going to be able to get some leave next month. he gets 18 Days, he leaves his Base on the 1st, but his clock does not start ticking until he gets to Atlanta. he said he will be in San Diego on the 3rd. Just in time for him to be in town for the Raider game! :icon_toast:
No, cameras aren't allowed, but they did show some of the Ft. Campbell soldiers on Fox News......didn't see her personally, but knowing she was there is cool enough!
Lets say Thanks Something cool that Xerox is doing If you go to this web site, www.letssaythanks.com, you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services. How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! This is a great site. Please send a card. It is FREE and it only takes a second.
Let's Say Thanks To The Troops..and It's FREE!! Xerox has a program where they will send a card to a military member from you. It's free, and it's a thank you to those who serve. Bump this every so often through the holidays. http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html
Let's Say Thanks To The Troops..and It's FREE!! This is so cool! Thanks and I will pass it around a lot. We need to keep stuff like this going:flag:
Let's Say Thanks To The Troops..and It's FREE!! I said the same thing one hour earlier in the Military Support thread
Let's Say Thanks To The Troops..and It's FREE!! As I stated in my PM to you, I wasn't aware you had posted it in another thread. My intent was certainly not to steal your message as you blamed me for doing in your PM. If this is concern to you, please ask a mod to take this thread down. That said, maybe with two links those men and women will get more thank you greetings. Have a nice day.
Let's Say Thanks To The Troops..and It's FREE!! Nice! I think this deserves a thread of its own Thanks Buck...I wouldn't have seen it otherwise
Let's Say Thanks To The Troops..and It's FREE!! I just sent my card... Will send some more at another time. Nice thing Xerox is doing..:flag: Thanks H8er and Buck
Thank you for the information H8ter I sent my first 10 already. It is an excellent program. Thank you for sharing H8ter. :icon_toast: :flag:
Why merge a good thread just bc one or two people felt their toes stepped on? Now it gets completely lost. jmi. Was there a problem having a thread for that good cause just bc it was mentioned in a post here? sheesh.
