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The Rain

I want to remain anonymous…

I was a marine sniper in Viet Nam. One night while on an assignment, it was raining very hard and I was looking for shelter from the rain. I came across a cave and slowly slipped inside. I immediately became aware I was not alone. I slowly reached for my lighter and flicked up a flame and felt a rush of relief to see 7 other marines in the cave.
We sat and talked for hours and finally went to sleep. I suddenly awoke to find I was alone in the cave and people were outside the cave speaking in Vietnamese. I slipped as quietly as I could to the back of the cave. They sat in the cave the rest of the night, I did not sleep.
As daylight came I could see they were NVA soldiers and I knew I would soon be discovered. I suddenly opened fire as I ran out of the cave and into the jungle. It was still raining real hard but I was surprised I was not being followed.
Hours later, I returned to the cave and there were no bodies or people any place to be found. I do not know if I had missed everyone or if they cleaned up the dead and wounded and moved out. It finally stopped raining and I move on.

Anonymous
Almond, WI

The Twins

My father, Donald Thornton was a twin brother to my Uncle Elliott Thornton. As tiny babies, they had been placed in shoe boxes near the warming oven in the kitchen. As grown men, they enlisted together in the military. My father was a paratrooper in Normandy and my Uncle stationed near the Pacific. They made all the local papers as being the twins who had gotten wounded in the same arm and same leg ON THE SAME DAY and eventually ended up in the same hospital. As soon as my father healed enough, he went right back in. He's my hero in so many ways. As an old man, he still had nightmares of the war and would not talk about it much. He died with shrapnel in his body.

Diane Thornton Dubuque
Fairfax, VT

Burnt and forgotten

Sometime in the early 40’s my father, was in the us army in the south pacific, he received 1st 2ed and 3ed degree burns, over 70% of his body, from a flame thrower. He spent 5 months in a tent hospital in the Philippians. After he was shipped home the tent hospital was overrun by the Japanese and was destroyed. Years later when my father tried to get benefits he was told that all the records were destroyed when the Japanese captured the Philippians. And that as far as the veteran’s administration was concerned that without written proof there was nothing they could do for him, Till his death in 1974, he never receiver one cent for his pain, from the veterans administration or his government. I support today’s veterans any way I can but please don’t ask me to support the veterans administration, to me there just another government origination bleeding the American tax payer for all they can get.

William R. Meyers
New Tripoli, PA

pepper anyone

My Dad, Liton beaudry met my mom Ruby Stevens while home on leave, he was assigned to us armor unit that was to be deployed to france, while home the best present he could think of was a pound of black pepper (hard to come by) so he went to see my mom at knightstown on her dads farm when he got there she was in the barn milking cows and came out dad said she had on a pair of knickers with a plain top, bare-footed with cow poop between her toes. He said it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

Anonymous
jasonville, IN

Desert Shield/Desert Storm

Hi! I am Air Force veteran who served inthe first gulf war. While I did volunteer to go over there. Had it not been for the sort from my wonderful wife and kids, plus the support of so many, it would have been alot harder than it already was. The many letters and care packages that arrived daily from pen pals was amazing. During our flight back after the war ended, we had a unscheduled stop at Westover AN Massachusetts. We arrived at a hangar full of citizens from the town, they were playing "Good Bless the USA". They did not Even know us and were giving us hugs and wanting us to sign there shirts and hats. At the end of the parade there were 3 Vietnam vets in there wheelchairs hugging and thanking us. That was very heartfelt and tears rolled down my face. God bless our fine country and to the men and woman that have served and serving now. To all the ones that gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect us and our great country.

Frank McGough
Oklahoma City, OK

because I wont ever forget

we see the bad but many of us see the ultimate sacrifice of many who arent comming home, and those who came home, but are still over there lost. keep the message strong

Sitrep_redemption
rockville, MD

Papa Chief 4

My father-n-law. Jesse B. Caddell retired Chief Warrant Offficer IV. Served in operation Desert Storm and Iraq
. We are extremely proud of him.

Timothy Altom
Woodstock, GA

My grandfather

I lost my grandfather April 26, 2012. He was the greatest man I have ever known. He taught all of us the value of hard work. He suffered from Alzheimer's. Most days he didn't remember things from that morning, but he would always talk about joining the Army the day he graduated from High School. He didn't have a lot of money to take care of his family so he joined the military to support them. He always talked about being in the Mojave Desert. I think often times we forget to thank those who served long ago. I thinkall of our troops deserve a Huge Thank You. I will always remember my grandfather fondly. I wear his dog tags every single day to support hm and the other troops and to feel close to him.

Heather
Cleveland, TN

Christmas Homecoming

When I was in the 4th grade in 1966, my dad was sent overseas to Korea. I missed him terribly but was thrilled when I found out he was coming home for Christmas. I wrote this poem for my dad as part of a 4th grade project.
Here it is:
Christmas is a coming
And Santa Claus is due
But the most exciting thing of all
My daddy's coming too!
He's coming from Korea
And that is very far away
But when he gets here
I'll stand and shout HORRAY!
His suit may not be Christmas red
Nor his hair so very white
But I hope he has some presents
He might, he might, he might!

Christine Colladay
Kentfield, CA

He Never Made it Home

My younger brother brother served in the Air Force on Guam in 1981 when he was taken from our family. He was hiking when a big wave washed him out to sea. His body was never found. He was only 21. He died 1 day before my sisters 16th birthday. The military came to my work to give me the bad news. I then had to tell my family my brother was dead. My dad died 10 months later a day before my birthday of a broken heart.My brother did not die in battle but did die serving the country he loved and we have the Gold Star to prove it. We had a full military funeral with taps, honor guard firing 3 times an a folded flag given to my mom. I tear up every day when we hear that another soldier has been injured or died fighting for our country. No family should have to go through this but we live in a sadistic world and this will happen over and over. Our family is so proud of any man or woman who serve there country so we can live in freedom. GOD BLESS OUR SOLDIERS WHO PROTECT OUR GREAT COUNTRY! YOU ARE TRUE HERO'S! I LOVE AND MISS YOU SCOTT! ONE DAY WE SHALL BE TOGETHER AGAIN!

Robert Bernacchi
Concord, CA