Made My Day

[frisco-kid]

I have Veteran plates on one of my cars. They have a 101st Airborne insignia on them and are personalized to say "66VNAM". In one corner of my rear window I have a CIB and jumpwings decals.

On Saturday I come out of the grocery store to my car, and somebody has put a business card in my wiper. Jaysus. Now who wants to sell me something? I take it off and read it. It's from a Bob N., and he's a hardware engineer for Cisco Systems. What the...? I turn the card over and he's written on the back: "I don't know who you are, but you should know that there is somebody that appreciates you risking your life in the defense of the freedoms I enjoy. -Thank you, BN.

-I especially admire the jumpwings and CIB!"

As I read the words, I found myself a little choked up and..... unconsiousely standing a little taller. I stood a little taller the rest of the day with a smile on my face.

Thanks for making me do that, Bob.

[DMZ-LT]

Thank you for what you did Tom. I was in the delivery room when my daughter was born , not eating mud. Got a RVN service sticker on my truck with a puking buzzard over it. Almost daily I get a thumbs up from vets and others. We got a reason to stand tall.

[Bill Farnie]

Great story Tom and I kinda know how you felt.

A few years ago, when I was working for Siemens, I went to Irving Texas for three weeks for two training classes. Two men from my old VN company live in the Dallas area, Jim Hoyt and Bill Carmack. Jim owns the Richardson Bike Mart and Mack is a detective with the Big D police. We made plans for the three of us to hook up for a St. Patrick?s Day party and dinner at Jim?s house. We didn?t know but this was a yearly event for Jim and he invited about 25 people. Mack and me got there early and hoisted a few brews with Jim and his wife Ronda and reminisced about our time together. Jim didn?t leave VN until March, 1970 and I asked him about what the company did after I left in September 1969.

Starting to ramble here so let me get back to the point.

Later that evening there were about ten of us guests left sitting around some tables and the guy who was sitting across from me and Mack stood up and got everyone?s attention by hitting his glass with a spoon. Once he had an audience he looked at us, lifted his glass and thanked the three of us, Mack and Jim and me, for our service in Vietnam. I didn?t know what to say and it was hard to speak anyway for I got pretty choked up but I finally, after what seemed like an eternity, squeaked out a barely audible thank you. Like you Tom, at that moment, I felt a great deal of pride and walked a little taller the rest of the night.

[Packo]

Wow Tom....what a great story. You have always been TALL in my book and will always remain TALL....but I know what your feelin'. It sure is nice and humbling when something like that happens.

Went to a welcome home parade for Vietnam Vets in Johnstown, Pa. (yep, place of the great flood) Hadn't had my first operation on the hip so had to be in a wheelchair...pushed by a Boy Scout. My patients all went with me....will tell that story on the mountain, but when going down the street with thousands of people shouting thank you.....someone ran out of the crowd and gave me an American Flag and was crying saying "thank-you, thank-you". I finally got it right and said "your welcome" and we both cryed together. It was a moment in my life I will never forget.

WELCOME HOME TO ALL.....and THANK-YOU!

Pack

[SuperScout]

As a Dirty Ol' Leg, I only have the CIB as a decal on the rear window of my pickup truck! Last November, as I was serving as an election judge, a voter came in and gave me the smartest salute I had received in years, along with his thanks, and it too had that wondrous orthopedic miracle of making me stand a little taller. And caused a small sandstorm.

Thanks for sharing that great story of yours. May we all never forget that we have earned to right silently sing that jodie-call, "Standin' tall and lookin' good, ought to be in Hollywood!"

Scouts Out!!
Brice

[Gimpy]

What a great story.

You "MADE MY DAY"!

Damn 'sandstorms' keep-a comin.

[rotorwash]

I know what you are saying guys, a year ago last Veterans Day a young lady, a senior that I did not know, walked up to me in the hall and gave me a hug and a thank you card and told me thanks for my service. I was overwhelmed and had to beeline for the faculty room before I ruined my tough guy reputation. I don't think I will ever have another moment like that one.

[Tina]

Tom : Thanks for everything you did then, do now and what youw will do in the future.. I too am great full for ALL those who put thier lives on the line for me to have the freedom i have to day. I am also great full to those who are on the wall that gave thier life for me to have the freedom I have today..

My dad was there for 2 of three kids when they were born.. He was on the coast of VN the day I was born.. I was a mnt old before he saw me for the first time.. Dad is and always will be my number one hero..

He as a plate that says Vietnam Vet Navy =)

love you all
and Thank you to you all

Tina