38 years ago or more

[DMZ-LT]

Just watched the news and the guy said " you remember way back in the 60's " Thats why I am here .I do remember.So do most of you . Thank you for letting me know I ain't the Lone Ranger.Welcome Home , brothers . See you on the mountain iff,in you can make it.

[Packo]

"Seems like only yesterday, I left my mind behind.
Down at the Gypsy Cafe' with a friend of a friend of mine".

40 years was yesterday.....being with my bro's on the mountain seems like a lifetime ago.

See ya' soon!

Pack

[splummer]

40 years ago in 1968 I still had 3 months left. By then I knew where I was in Way not Hew. I was real good in what I did in convoys and reactionary forces. [I no longer was a nieve 20 year old kid.]I tryed to help and adopt the new guys. Then I went home and never talked about Vietnam for 20 or 25 years.

[darrels joy]

40 years ago, I was 14 years old. My 15 year old boyfriend turned 16 and joined the Marines with his brother and his brother's best friend. The were told that if they joined on the buddy program that only one would go to Vietnam.
They went one at a time. All came home alive.
Joy

[Gimpy]

This week, August 25, 1968 I first met the beautiful young woman who would change my life.....forever.

I was home in Atlanta at my lifelong friends (Larry Iveys) apartment on a "convalescent leave" (30 day leave) from Fort Gordon Army Hospital in a "half-body" cast when she (Jackie) walked up to us along with her friend Carol and asked us what we were drinking.

It was truly love at first site!

We were sitting at a picnic table at Larrys' apartment swimming pool drinking Margaritas and listening to an eight track tape of the Righteous Brothers.

I had just been home on leave for the second time since getting back from Nam the previous December. I had just undergone operation number four on my right leg and hip about 5 weeks earlier and the Doc said I was OK to go home for a while. Still couldn't "dance" very well, but Jackie forgave me for that and she danced with Larry a couple of times that day. But she was MY GIRL from that day forward. She was with me for the next 5 surgeries and has been there ever since.

I am truly blessed to have had her all these many years!

1968 was a GREAT YEAR!

Gimp

[Packo]

Gimpy! Man, I love a story with a happy ending.....God Bless you and Jackie and here's hoping for 40 more years of happiness!

Pack

[Boats]

Ditto to Packmans statement. It's amazing that so many years have gone by since those days. It's like a blurr - high speed wind tunnel - and yet here we still are and hopefully for many more moons - God Willing. Kathleen and I have been married 41 years this last July.
Great gal - like no other (and I haven't been looking). Mother of two and Grandmother of three. Health has been failing and she's in a lot of pain - but her spirit is strong and she's tough as hell. Wouldn't have her any other way. Kept me line and run's the house like a master-sargent. Taking her to the Doc on 9/8 for a follow up - she's really struggling to keep afloat and I can only pray she doesn't throw in the towel!!

We were all blessed to come home and have families and experience the American Way of Life. Many others we knew were not so blessed. So I've worked hard to prove my worth to them and their sacrafices. This is how I feel. I'm grateful to all those who've served and those serving today and tomorrow. I love them all like they were my kids.