MY GRANDFATHER, SGT JOHN S LEE, SERVED IN BOTH THE KOREAN AND VIETNAM WARS. HE LIED ABOUT HIS AGE AND ENLISTED AT THE AGE OF 16 AND RETIRED FROM THE ARMY MANY YEARS LATER. HE WON A BRONZE STAR FOR PUTTING INTO OPERATION THE FIRST PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE RADIO STATION IN VIETNAM, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER MEDALS. GROWING UP HE ALWAYS SEEMED LARGER THAN LIFE TO ME. IT WAS LIKE I HAD MY OWN PERSONAL LIFE SIZED GI JOE. HE DIED SEVERAL YEARS AGO FROM CANCER THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE AGENT ORANGE HE WAS EXPOSED TO IN VIETNAM(AND YES HE HAD A LETTER CONFIRMING THIS). HOWEVER, HE WAS ALWAYS PROUD TO HAVE SERVED HIS COUNTRY, AND I WANT TO THANK HIM AND ALL THE OTHER SOLDIERS FROM EVERY BRANCH WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE MILITARY AND MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO LIVE IN A FREE COUNTRY. ALTHOUGH I WATCHED HIS HEALTH DETERIORATE OVER THE YEARS, AND WAS HEART BROKEN A FEW MONTHS BEFORE HIS DEATH TO REALIZE THAT HE WAS NOW AN OLD MAN, WITH A LOT OF HEALTH ISSUES, IN MY MIND, HE IS STILL MY OWN PERSONAL, LIFE SIZE GI JOE. HE WAS, IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE MY HERO! REST IN PEACE!

Donna Williams
Roanoke, AL