Keeping the faith

Larry, my best friend from high school, for some reason is working Up North for a while. Sunday he sent an email, which had a picture of a flag and Army things. He wrote:

I am driving around in Millbury, Oh this week watching Fiber being blown in and I see this very neat Memorial in a yard right across the Street from the Millbury Veterans Memorial City Park which has a Nice Granite Monument with the names of all the Local Residents killed in VN.

So I thought the Memorial in the Yard was very unique and interesting, so I stopped and knocked on the Door of the House.

Out comes a old, fat, and grouchy Man wearing a "Viet Nam Veteran and Proud of It" Cap. (Hasn't stayed YOUNG like you and I!).

So I introduced myself and Said "Me Too" and pointed to his cap. Then I told him I would like to get a picture of his Memorial.

He said that was fine and as we looked it over he began to tell me his and the memorial's story.

The Memorial has Wooden Rifles carved very accurately depicting the Rifles used in each War Depicted. (WWI, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, and Iraq/Afghanistan). On top of each Rifle which is stuck in the ground upside down is an authentic Army Helmet for the Period.

All the Rifles and Helmets represent the Wars that the 1st Inf Division has fought in.

The Memorial is surrounded by 93 Sand Bags. Each Sand Bag represents a member of his unit who was killed in VN.

Here is how the conversation gets really interesting. I asked him when he was there. He said '65 and 66. Went in late '65 came home late '66. I told him I went in late '66 and came home in late '67.

I ask him what unit he was in and he said 1st Inf Div. I told him I was in the 9th and ask him if he was at Ft Riley when the 1st Deployed. He said yes, that he trained there with the 1st most of '65 and left with them in '66. I told him I did the same thing in '66 & '67 with the 9th.

He asked me where my Barracks was and I told him Camp Forsythe. He said his was too. He said his barracks was just across the Bridge coming down Washington Street in Junction City. I told him mine was too.

He ask me if I was close to where they kept that "Damn" Calvary Horse. I said Yes, I was near there and went to see Chief, the last living Calvary Horse, a lot. He said all he remembered was the Drunk Sergeant that took care of him. I said I remembered him too, but liked the Horse anyway.

He ask me where my Base Camp was in VN and I said Bearcat. He said, he had helped set up Defenses around Bearcat just before he came home.

So I said small world isn't it, shook his hand again and took my Pictures.

Thought you would enjoy that,

Larry