The town I live in right now has a Congressional Medal of Honor winner. He died in "Nam and his story is told in the movie, The Last Full Measure. If you have not seen it [it was shown nationally during this winter], see it. His name was William H. Pittsenbarger.
Thank you, I know there a lot of vets on this forum, we have lost many friends over the years. I lost many during Vietnam who I considered good friends in HS and College. A lot of them do not forget that time in their lives, I know I do not. In memory of those lost. Take care, Don
I knew a Vietnam era CMH 'winner' when I was back in college. I tutored him in Chemistry (he was in his late 40s-50s then, I think). I got to know him well when I got a call from the local police department. He had a substance abuse issue and the local cops had picked him up, drunk off of his ass, wearing his CMH neck ribbon. Half of the guys on the local PD were ex-military and knew what it was (I didn't know at the time) and what he would have had to do to earn it (which is what caused his drinking). The only other thing he had on him was a scrap of paper w/ my phone number (I had given it to him the day before) and they couldn't bring themselves to lock him up, so I got the call. That was a crazy night. We got him into nursing school (he had failed basic Chemistry twice when his professor put him in touch w/ me as I had a bit of a reputation for helping the difficult cases) and he got his dream job as a psychiatry nurse (helping others as he had been helped after coming home). He is still the only non-family member who has caused me to cry when he passed.
My a couple of my uncles, dad and my step dad all severed in WWII they never talked about it. Excepted one uncle. My cousin, his son, and I are the same age. We were best friends. This uncle was so funny and a great guy. Some times the three of us would have some drinks together. He was a big strong man, a Marine. He served island hopping in the pacific. On few occasion he would have more than usual and he would start to talk about what he had been through. I guess it was the few times he felt safe to let the demons out. He would end up in tears and so would my cousin and I. I don't know how he kept all of that in.
I think these days we use hero way too much.
Like x 2
