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Hope everyone had a happy veterans day and got to tell all veterans they know thank you! Thank you to all veterans that have served and that are members of this forum!

A buddy at work, a Marine machinegunner who served in Vietnam near the border and saw some of the heaviest action of the war, thanked me for my service today. I was stunned. I have never thought of my service as anything special and have always held my brothers who served in combat in the highest esteem. They paid a price I was never asked to pay. For him to do that for me was almost more than I could bear.

I appreciate the many thank yous we get these days. They were far fewer and farther between back then. But it's almost too much for me to accept the thanks of grateful citizens when others have paid so much more than I ever did. Honor the dead. They have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Honor those who served in combat and have to live with those memories for the remainder of their lives. As for me, your thanks are very welcome, but I think of those who never returned (like my cousin, Donald Carlson) and those who returned but never fully healed.

baldeagle wrote:A buddy at work, a Marine machinegunner who served in Vietnam near the border and saw some of the heaviest action of the war, thanked me for my service today. I was stunned. I have never thought of my service as anything special and have always held my brothers who served in combat in the highest esteem. They paid a price I was never asked to pay. For him to do that for me was almost more than I could bear.

I appreciate the many thank yous we get these days. They were far fewer and farther between back then. But it's almost too much for me to accept the thanks of grateful citizens when others have paid so much more than I ever did. Honor the dead. They have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Honor those who served in combat and have to live with those memories for the remainder of their lives. As for me, your thanks are very welcome, but I think of those who never returned (like my cousin, Donald Carlson) and those who returned but never fully healed.

I often think this way.

Although most who serve never actually see combat, the individual contributions to the mission, no matter how small, all contribute to the successful maintenance of freedom. Even though we never fired any warload torpedoes or ballistic missiles in retaliation, I spent 2 1/2 years total submerged punching holes through the ocean waiting for the launch message that never came. Let there be no doubt about it. If the message came, we would have unleashed hell on those who threatened our freedom. We did have the occasional brush with the soviet attack sub and once even did the sub to sub chest thumping trying to bluff the other guy into submission. We won when he emergency surfaced to get out of our way. We recorded the skipper call on his loud speaker ordering the surface on his 1MC (navy guys will know what this PA system is). The tape analysts translated the russian for us. Cold War combat.

As was stated before, all gave some, some gave all.

Anygunanywhere

On a more humorous note, I got a text message last night from one of my granddaughters.

She wanted to wish me a happy "Veternarians Day"! (Her spelling, not mine.) 'Ya gotta love the little ones!

Also, I wish to extend my warm thanks to all of you veterans and well wishers.

Very appreciative to all of our Veterans that provide the security and freedoms that we have in our Country. Thanks from my family for all you do for our nation, states, cities, towns etc. Most, I wish all Americans, appreciated you for your service and dedication to each of us.

I know I am a little late and I apologize. I want to say thank you to ALL who have served and ALL who are still serving. No matter the branch, the job or whether it be Active/Reserve/Guard. Every last person has a role, has a duty and has a commitment. I have the upmost respect for my brothers and sisters in arms and I am proud to serve next to you and with you.

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND HER VETERANS!