Veterans Day

[Paul B]

Today as many Americans know is Veterans Day.
I was on my way to the Veteran Festivities at out town hall this morning and I stopped at Star Bucks.
As I was waiting on line a girl behind me said she wanted to buy me breakfast. I was totally honored and blown away as that has never happened to me. She told me her husband is a Gulf War Veteran and she said it is the right thing and patriotic thing to do to honor Veterans.
It was only a couple of bucks but it meant a great deal to me as I am sure it would to any Veteran.
So if you see a Veteran, and today many of them will be wearing something that tells you they served, at least thank them for their service as many Veterans didn't have an easy time and they were all away from home for many months protecting everyone else. I am sure they would appreciate it immensely.
My wife just took this before I went out.
That was my stateside shirt before I went to Nam. That was almost 50 years ago and it still "almost" fits. It must have been huge on me because I gained probably fifty lbs in that time.

 

[njtiger24 aquariums]

@Paul B and other members who have served our country. Thank you for your service. We should honor our vets every day not just on Veterans Day. I have a friend in the Marines (still in there), had a friend in the Air Force and another was in the Navy (both served and then left for higher education). My brother served in the army (he is almost done with his time and not sure if he is going back in or not). My mom's parents both served in the Navy and my dad's dad served in the Army. I have thought about serving but my asthma kept me from going that route.

 

[Paul B]

Thank you. You are better off staying out of it with Asthma. But your heart is in the right place.

I start this thread every year on many forums because it is very important to me. On most forums it doesn't even get a look which is sad. Many (not all) young people today just don't know war. They didn't lose friends in war, didn't have to comfort their parents, kids or spouse. Most of them also didn't have to write the letter to the spouse telling them how their loved one died. I had to write two of those letters and it is the hardest thing I had to do. Recently the wife of my Captain in Viet Nam called me to tell me that he died of Agent Orange related cancer and she wanted me to tell her what the men thought of him (almost 50 years ago) She was crying and it was very hard for me.
These types of things age people and separate them from most of the people who never had to do such things. We hobbiests here and other forums fret if a fish dies and we go on trying to console the owner. That is fine and the way of the world. But if you are going to think of a fishes life, at least try to thank a Veteran you see on the street, not just on Veterans Day, but any day. It will mean a lot to them.

 

[Mark_C]

My wife dug out a box of photos a few days back and I was surprised to find this 30 year old pic...



That's a HH3F Sikorsky Pellican. Best rotary wing aircraft ever made, complete with old school desk (behind me) to lay out my maps on and clip your pen to - analog all the way, baby. Bet its all touch screen Siri crap now.

 

[Paul B]

Very cool Pic. You look like Rambo.

 

[Mark_C]

Difference between us is that if I tried to get my old BDUs or civvies on now I'd need a corset, some duct tape, and a pair of vice grips.

And the pic was taken in decent weather, no hurricanes, no fires, no shooting etc... Usually the helo was like that scene in Airplane with everyone running around screaming.

P.S. Saw a WWII vet a few months back, old, wheelchair bound, was so proud to shake his hand that I just about had tears welling up. Thanked him for his service on behalf of myself, my kids and future grandkids.
His wife caught me a few minutes later to tell me how much it had meant to him as hardly anyone has ever thanked him. That made me sad.

 

[Paul B]

My wife dug out a box of photos a few days back and I was surprised to find this 30 year old pic...

View attachment 17364

That's a HH3F Sikorsky Pellican. Best rotary wing aircraft ever made, complete with old school desk (behind me) to lay out my maps on and clip your pen to - analog all the way, baby. Bet its all touch screen Siri crap now.

I know about those. I even crashed twice, once in this one and once in a Schnook. But we didn't have Siri, touch screen, digital or analog. We had a wooden stick and, well, thats about it.



Crashed in this one too