o1d_dude
'I battle gravity'
The deed is done.
View attachment 130868
There was no monument of the grunts facing the wall so I snapped a shot of the side window of my Bronco with the decal and the flags in the background.
View attachment 130869
Jim Knutson died in a helicopter crash in 1968. He was a helicopter crewman and died in a crash in Bien Hoa Province that was not combat related.
In high school he had a great 55 Chevy 2-door. I remember one morning before school in our senior year he was doing burnouts in the parking lot behind the cafeteria. Funny the things you remember after all these years. The picture is from our 1966 high school yearbook.
View attachment 130870
Craig Pettit was a medic in the 9th Marine Division. He died in combat by small arms fire in Quang Tri Province in 1968...on Memorial Day. Combat medics were a favorite target in battle.
Craig and I had a drafting class together and he graduated the year before me. Mr. Herb Bergstrom was our teacher...what a gruff old dude. Seems that I have become just like him. The picture is from my 1965 high school yearbook.
View attachment 130871
Dennis Tuller was a grunt in the 1st Cav and died in combat in Binh Dinh Province on February 12, 1966, after being in country only 23 days.
Dennis left school before graduating. As I recall, he and another dude joined the Army but the other kid got kicked out. Probably too young. Dennis died before the rest of our class graduated in June of 1966.
I did not forget you, my brothers in arms.
This was a very difficult thing to do. I knew these guys and I knew they died many years ago in the Land of Bad Things but the finality of it all really didn't hit me until I actually saw their names on THE WALL. Even though it's a replica of the real memorial in Washington, D.C., it's still holy ground.
Most of the people viewing the memorial were geezers like me and most were veterans, too. A lot of them carried the wounds they sustained in battle and that forever changed their lives. Most wore some military memento or hat that basically said "We are here to remember and honor the friends we lost." We nodded to each other as we passed. Several came up to shake hands or to give a hug. I never realized how much emotional baggage I have suppressed all these years. Something like this brings it all back up.
Tonight I will have troubled sleep and war dreams again.
View attachment 130868
There was no monument of the grunts facing the wall so I snapped a shot of the side window of my Bronco with the decal and the flags in the background.
View attachment 130869
Jim Knutson died in a helicopter crash in 1968. He was a helicopter crewman and died in a crash in Bien Hoa Province that was not combat related.
In high school he had a great 55 Chevy 2-door. I remember one morning before school in our senior year he was doing burnouts in the parking lot behind the cafeteria. Funny the things you remember after all these years. The picture is from our 1966 high school yearbook.
View attachment 130870
Craig Pettit was a medic in the 9th Marine Division. He died in combat by small arms fire in Quang Tri Province in 1968...on Memorial Day. Combat medics were a favorite target in battle.
Craig and I had a drafting class together and he graduated the year before me. Mr. Herb Bergstrom was our teacher...what a gruff old dude. Seems that I have become just like him. The picture is from my 1965 high school yearbook.
View attachment 130871
Dennis Tuller was a grunt in the 1st Cav and died in combat in Binh Dinh Province on February 12, 1966, after being in country only 23 days.
Dennis left school before graduating. As I recall, he and another dude joined the Army but the other kid got kicked out. Probably too young. Dennis died before the rest of our class graduated in June of 1966.
I did not forget you, my brothers in arms.
This was a very difficult thing to do. I knew these guys and I knew they died many years ago in the Land of Bad Things but the finality of it all really didn't hit me until I actually saw their names on THE WALL. Even though it's a replica of the real memorial in Washington, D.C., it's still holy ground.
Most of the people viewing the memorial were geezers like me and most were veterans, too. A lot of them carried the wounds they sustained in battle and that forever changed their lives. Most wore some military memento or hat that basically said "We are here to remember and honor the friends we lost." We nodded to each other as we passed. Several came up to shake hands or to give a hug. I never realized how much emotional baggage I have suppressed all these years. Something like this brings it all back up.
Tonight I will have troubled sleep and war dreams again.
