SwiftVets.com

RacerJim

Yesterday two people I didn't know thanked me for being a Vietnam Veteran. How did they know I was a Vietnam Veteran? The "Vietnam Veterans AGAINST John Kerry" bumper stickers (which I picked up at the "Kerry Lied While Good Men Died" rally in DC last month) on the windshield, both rear quarter panel windows and rear window. Could also have been the "Vietnam Vet AGAINST John Kerry" hat I've been wearing every since picking it up at that same rally, on which I've also gotten a few positive comments and not one negative comment.

The first was a "Rolling Thunder" (God Bless Them for their annual trek to the Vietnam Memorial on Memorial Day) type on an older Harley who shouted "Great bumper sticker!" at me and gave me a thumbs up when he stopped in the lane next to me at a red-light. "Thanks" I replied, adding "Are you a Vietnam Vet?" When he replied "You bet" I reached over into the passenger side door-pocket, pulled out an extra bumper sticker, stuck it out the passenger side window and said "Here ya go Brother". The smile on his face was priceless Smile

and he darned near dropped his cycle getting the kick-stand down and climbing off his cycle in his haste to grab that bumper sticker, lol.

The second was late-30s looking guy in a late-model SUV who, as he pulled up alongside me on my passenger side, rolled his window down and shouted "Thank you for serving SIR!", to which I replied "You're very welcome and Thank You!"

Hope is indeed on the way!

wwIIvetsdaughter · Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 12:50 am Post subject:

Racer, may I join those two fellas in also saying "Thank you sir" for fighting for my freedom? Smile

SangRun Hunter · PO1 Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 462 Location: Zinzinnati

Yup, thank you!

I had a teacher back in Highschool 1987 and and he told us on Veterans day to call our relatives who were vets to thank them for their service especially VN vets.
I remember calling my uncle on Veterans day and he was shocked to hell and back by my call.

I felt bad about it an to this day I haven't brought it up. He was just so taken back and this I might just send him a card to start a new tradition without embarassing him.

The teacher was a VN vet dieing from afent orange exposure. He was Airborne and tough as hell. Over the summer I got a job working in the maintenance department of this sprawling vocational school. This teacher had to do his summer work to earn tenure. He was taking Chemo all summer and had a tough time, but he still showed up and he rode his motorcycle. I think he died a year later or I heard he did.

I hope he beat it and the rumor was wrong.
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Mad as Hell!

RacerJim · Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 10:12 am Post subject:

wwIIvetsdaughter · Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 7:45 pm Post subject:

Racer, my Dad was drafted in '42 at the age of 36 Exclamation

and served in the Pacific Theater in the 819th Tank Destroyer Battalion. Daddy passed away from colon cancer in 1975 but I hope to visit the WWII memorial in DC and take his grandchildren (my neice and nephew) who he never knew and of course also visit Arlington. Happily, I was able to contact his CO via the Intenet (isn't the 'net a grand thing) Exclamation

this past winter and gleaned a few nuggets of information about Daddy at a time before I knew him.

Bystander · PO3 Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 271 Location: MI

RacerJim, I add my thanks to those you've already received. I have a bro-in-law who served two tours in VN and each Vet's Day I pen a short personal note to him thanking him for his service which keeps us free and gives the 'ijuts' the right to protest! Two weeks ago had lunch with an old friend and her brother. In January 2005, the brother finishes (as he put it) '41 years of wearing the uniform.' He also had two tours in VN and after retiring USAF, went into ROTC as an instructor.

Thank God for all these heroes!
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No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
..................................Eleanor Roosevelt

ATACKM · Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 11:16 pm Post subject:

RacerJim: Welcome Home and Thank-You !
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ATACKM
Gulf War Veteran
Proud American
http://www.buglesacrossamerica.org

Fort Campbell · Vice Admiral Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 896

ProudDaughterofVet · Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 2:03 am Post subject:

RacerJim,
I just saw your post..and I too, would like to say

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.....AND WELCOME HOME!!!!!

..and to all of you who served, thank you, so very very much. I am proud to get to know you, and prouder to call you friends!!!

PD
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"We will not tire, We will not falter, We will not fail."
-President George W. Bush

www.timetotakeastand.blogspot.com

Guest · Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 2:50 am Post subject:

pegm · Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:37 am Post subject:

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our vets, whenever they served. My husband and I are both retired Navy, and recently people have been thanking us for our service. This is so new to us (we served Vietnam era), that we are a little embarassed and don't quite know what to say, except "thank you". We have been looked down upon for so long, it is a strange feeling to have gratitude come our way. Thank you Swifties for awakening the American conscience to what has been done to our Vietnam Vets, courtesy of john kerry.