Retired at the beginning of April, '05 and relocated to south central Missouri, specifically, the Rolla area. Purchased a house that is conSIDerably better than what we had in S. Calif. and moved in around the middle of May. Got an in-ground pool outside and a really neat "War Room" in the basement. If anyone is in the area sometime, let me know and you've a place to stay for a bit.
Resisted moving back here for some time but have no regrets. The area is beautiful and the people are really great.
As of April, 06, working again.....so much for retirement. Could only handle being around the wife 24/7 for so long. Besides............we needed the medical bennies.
In Jan. 07, joined the PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS--a group, mainly bikers, but not all, who attend funerals, memorial services and welcome homes ceremonies for veterans. At the funerals their primary purpose is to form a barrier between the family and any protestors who may show up.
YES, protestors DO come to these on occassion.
Other Comments:
As if 31 years of working around small children weren't enough, I was a Scout Master for 18 years, up until I retired. In all honesty, if it hadn't been for all those kids, I would have lost my mind a long time ago. They have been very theraputic for me and helped me keep things in perspective. Finally got my PTSD claim settled by the VA (had to move to Missouri to get though). Fortunately, the kids helped me stay reasonably coherent all those years.
Best Friends Ron McGinnis, Jim Hodge, Jimmy Holland, Leslie Hurt, Steve Blum, Larry Kernoudle, Tommy Loschiavo. note; Tommy was not in 5th Comm with me. He was my radio school and beer drinkin' buddy. KIA on May 31, 1968 in Quang Tri.
Best Moment Believe it or not, there were some good moments. One of the best Christmas's I've ever had was in Nam. Some of us formed a choir and sang for the unit and the locals. We were pretty damn good too since we had all been in choirs in church or high school. I helped put together packages for my commrades in other parts of the country and we helped the kids at a local orphanage. It was a a very good Christmas and one that I will ALways remember.
I will always remember some of the guys I served with. I have yet to meet anyone since then who can compair with them.
Worst Moment TET '68 ranks up there, but my worst moment, and one that I relive now and then, was the loss of Tommy. In a very short time, beginning in radio school, we became as tight as two men can get and still be straight. For about nine months he was the best friend I had in the world. He got blown to hell and back in Quang Tri.
When I move back to Missouri in '05, I'm going to have a rec room that will house all my old military and Scouting stuff. Prominent among my displays is a tribute to him consisting of two different items in frames and an inverted Marine beer mug between them.
I have missed him a lot.
Other Memories 5th Comm was, we thought at the time, about as fouled up a unit as you could find. It took years for us, after finding one another, to realize that, even with our screwed up leadership, we did DAMN good work and were IN demand. Many people came home because of the calibar of work we did in our field.
Most of us did not know about KIAs in our unit until 30 or more years afterward. We were not allowed to get wounded in 5th Comm and there were orders to sick bay that wounds were NOT to be entered into our medical records. Consequently, those us us who bear the scars, have NOTHING to show for it.
