Emotional, yet wonderful
10-25-2006 | 05:23 PM
#12
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 63,240
Likes: 3,275
From: Smalltown
Originally Posted by Spokes Man,Oct 25 2006, 03:25 PM
I am currently writing a letter to my son, and I will tell him of your support. It's very much appreciated. 
When he graduated from high school ten years ago, he was a typical anti-establishment, hard-core, heavy-metal, hard-hearted young man (at least that was his image). He was very defiant against any form of authority, and thought patriotism was for old people (typical of a lot of us at that age). Then on that fatefull morning of 9-11, he woke up and watched the TV coverage of our Nation being attacked by terrorists. He knew what he had to do.
On Nov. 1st, 2001, I met him at 3:00 AM and watched through tears as he left for boot camp at Ft. Benning, GA to begin his career as a U.S. Army Infantryman. He has dedicated his life to protecting the freedoms we enjoy, and is now serving in Afghanistan as a SSG with the 4th Platoon, Delta Co, 2-87 Infantry. He and his wife fell in love with the area where they are based at Ft. Drum, NY, and have settled their family in Watertown, NY. He loves his job, and I'm very proud of him. I pray for his safe return.
Thank you.
When he graduated from high school ten years ago, he was a typical anti-establishment, hard-core, heavy-metal, hard-hearted young man (at least that was his image). He was very defiant against any form of authority, and thought patriotism was for old people (typical of a lot of us at that age). Then on that fatefull morning of 9-11, he woke up and watched the TV coverage of our Nation being attacked by terrorists. He knew what he had to do.
On Nov. 1st, 2001, I met him at 3:00 AM and watched through tears as he left for boot camp at Ft. Benning, GA to begin his career as a U.S. Army Infantryman. He has dedicated his life to protecting the freedoms we enjoy, and is now serving in Afghanistan as a SSG with the 4th Platoon, Delta Co, 2-87 Infantry. He and his wife fell in love with the area where they are based at Ft. Drum, NY, and have settled their family in Watertown, NY. He loves his job, and I'm very proud of him. I pray for his safe return.
Thank you.
You have every reason to be proud of your son, Spokes.
We'll be thinking of him, and all the service men and women serving our country.
10-25-2006 | 05:40 PM
#13
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 12,381
Likes: 526
From: Clifton, VA
Valentine and Spokes Man,The next time that you have the opportunity to please send my regards, and thanks to your son's that are serving our country please do.
As a former Viet Nam era Army veteran (that was spit on for being in uniform) I do not want to come across as melodramatic here, but it is important for them to know that the American public is behind them and supports their efforts and their sacrifices.
Respectfully,
Matt
10-25-2006 | 06:15 PM
#14
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 4,563
Likes: 0
From: Marblehead
Spokes: Military service is not for everybody. I have seen many, many hundreds of young troopers make the transition to military life. Most did their best, contributed to a team effort, and served honorably. A lesser number struggled but still served, and I helped them move on and encouraged them to find their opportunities elsewhere. I guess I chose to most remember those whose lives and personal directions changed markedly. Some of these fine soldiers stayed on and achieved much more than they might have thought possible. Others moved on into civilian life, took advantage of training and opportunities available to them, and made a lot of people very proud. Both of the latter all had developed a positive, mature, and forward-leaning attitude that was evident to everyone with whome they interacted.
Best regards to your son. Be proud of him.
Best regards to your son. Be proud of him.
10-25-2006 | 06:51 PM
#15
Former Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,118
Likes: 625
From: Houston/Durango
Thanks for sharing this, Val! And it was a wonderful time with you and Jim in GB. This time I got to know you guys a little better. So I appreciate posts from you like this one even more!
10-25-2006 | 07:40 PM
#16
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 18,875
Likes: 31
From: Philly (Narberth)
Kathy's engagement ring also has a special story. When my dad was working in Philly in the 1930's, he lived with a couple in a rowhouse neighborhood. As things sometimes happen, he stayed in touch with these folks afterwards....after the wife passed, "Mr Joe" came to stay with our family in Harrisburg every summer for a week. This kind old gentlemen died in the early 1950's...w/o any family. He bequeathed his modest estate to my Dad....including our first b/w TV set. Little did I know that he had given his wife's diamond to my mother. When Mom knew that Kathy and I were getting engaged, she gave me the ring to have reset and re-sized.
It's not a big diamond.....may not even be very perfect...but it's much more special than any one that we could have afforded in 1969 
Maybe some other folks have a 'wedding ring' story lurking in the vintage cobwebs.....
It's not a big diamond.....may not even be very perfect...but it's much more special than any one that we could have afforded in 1969 Maybe some other folks have a 'wedding ring' story lurking in the vintage cobwebs.....
10-25-2006 | 08:03 PM
#17
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 8,211
Likes: 135
From: Euclid, OH
Congratulations, Darlene. Gifts like that, than span generations, are priceless.
Some of you may have noticed that Virginija's and my wedding bands are made of red gold (gold with a higher than usual % of copper), which is popular in some eastern european countries. Well, many years ago, when Virginija was in grad school here in Cleveland, before we were married, she had to suddenly go to Poland to represent the family at the funeral of her grandmother. One of her other relatives took Virginija aside, and told Virginija that her gransmother had wanted Virginija to have her wedding ring. It was about a centimeter wide, so after refining the metal down to its constituent metals (we got a printout of the exact proportions), we were able to have it reformed into 2 wedding bands, with the addition of only a little bit of gold and traces of other metals.
JonasM
Some of you may have noticed that Virginija's and my wedding bands are made of red gold (gold with a higher than usual % of copper), which is popular in some eastern european countries. Well, many years ago, when Virginija was in grad school here in Cleveland, before we were married, she had to suddenly go to Poland to represent the family at the funeral of her grandmother. One of her other relatives took Virginija aside, and told Virginija that her gransmother had wanted Virginija to have her wedding ring. It was about a centimeter wide, so after refining the metal down to its constituent metals (we got a printout of the exact proportions), we were able to have it reformed into 2 wedding bands, with the addition of only a little bit of gold and traces of other metals.
JonasM
10-26-2006 | 03:44 AM
#19
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 63,240
Likes: 3,275
From: Smalltown
Originally Posted by JonasM,Oct 26 2006, 12:03 AM
Congratulations, Darlene. Gifts like that, than span generations, are priceless.
Some of you may have noticed that Virginija's and my wedding bands are made of red gold (gold with a higher than usual % of copper), which is popular in some eastern european countries. Well, many years ago, when Virginija was in grad school here in Cleveland, before we were married, she had to suddenly go to Poland to represent the family at the funeral of her grandmother. One of her other relatives took Virginija aside, and told Virginija that her gransmother had wanted Virginija to have her wedding ring. It was about a centimeter wide, so after refining the metal down to its constituent metals (we got a printout of the exact proportions), we were able to have it reformed into 2 wedding bands, with the addition of only a little bit of gold and traces of other metals.
JonasM
Some of you may have noticed that Virginija's and my wedding bands are made of red gold (gold with a higher than usual % of copper), which is popular in some eastern european countries. Well, many years ago, when Virginija was in grad school here in Cleveland, before we were married, she had to suddenly go to Poland to represent the family at the funeral of her grandmother. One of her other relatives took Virginija aside, and told Virginija that her gransmother had wanted Virginija to have her wedding ring. It was about a centimeter wide, so after refining the metal down to its constituent metals (we got a printout of the exact proportions), we were able to have it reformed into 2 wedding bands, with the addition of only a little bit of gold and traces of other metals.
JonasM
I'll have to look at them next time we see you both.
10-26-2006 | 08:04 AM
#20
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,076
Likes: 0
From: SoCal
Originally Posted by Matt_in_VA,Oct 25 2006, 05:40 PM
The next time that you have the opportunity to please send my regards, and thanks to your son's that are serving our country please do.
As a former Viet Nam era Army veteran (that was spit on for being in uniform) I do not want to come across as melodramatic here, but it is important for them to know that the American public is behind them and supports their efforts and their sacrifices.
Respectfully,
Matt
As a former Viet Nam era Army veteran (that was spit on for being in uniform) I do not want to come across as melodramatic here, but it is important for them to know that the American public is behind them and supports their efforts and their sacrifices.
Respectfully,
Matt
Thank you, Matt.
Regards,
--Jerry