In the mood to share some memories

[crasha51pan]

Don' remember much. The brother I was riding with thru his bike over and just got around the guys rear bumper, I hit right in front of his rear wheel. The report said I flew 40 feet and the doc said the only thing that saved me was I flew over the car, had I hit the car I would have been dead. Was in the hospital for 22 hours before the wife got there, cost - $6000, ambulance ride -$800. The guy was a field hand up from Mexico, his license had been suspended for "no insurance". Long story short, the Kern County DA fined him $200 ????? I told the DA it felt like I had been kicked in the nuts.
My left hand was broke in 3 places, left side of my face was ripped open from eyebrow to the corner of my mouth and my knee had a large gash. Had one operation on my hand, it was in a cast for 11 months and was off work for 1 year. Not to mention my bike was in very bad shape !
You would have thought after that, the wife would have given me some major grief about getting back on it (given my family and all). She never said nothin, thats why I love her !!!

[crasha51pan]

I want all Vets to know that patriotism is alive and well in small town America. Living in Los Angeles since 6 years of age, among a total of 7 million people (LA & Orange County) I can say that I never felt more isolated. On the 4th of July there would be one flag flying on my street, mine. Yet on "Cinco de Mayo (5th of May)" , I counted 14 Mexican Flags flying. Not making a social comment, its just how it was.
In the small town of Eureka, Montana, every car has a yellow ribbon, every store has a sign that supports the troops. There is a small park in the middle of town to honor the veterans. Every home has a flag flying, all year long ! They have parades on Memorial Day & the 4th of July (usually consisting of a 56 Chevy and a mule drawn cart full of kids, a parade none the less).
There are other benifits here too. There is not one stoplight or stop sign. I have been here 5 years now and have been in 3 traffic jams. The first was a cattle drive that was crossing Hwy. 93, another was I got stuck behind two other cars that was lined up behind a "tractor" headed south on Hwy. 93 and the last was I was forced to stop while a herd of wild turkeys was crossing Hwy 93.
A short story: I went into town awhile back and stopped at the local gas station to fill up. At the island across from me stood a young Marine in his Dress Blues, filling his car. There was a line of at least 6 people waiting to shake his hand and say thanks, I got in line.
These are amazing things to see, so take heart Vets. You are not forgotten !

You might get a kick out of this ---my town in real time....
Click on the "Start Control" then click the arrow to the left, pick Downtown or Hwy 93.

www.eurekawebcam.com

[sparkie]

You keep talkin like that,,, and we're all gonna move there and ruin it for you,,;>

[crasha51pan]

The more Marines in this little valley the better....................

Semper Fi !

[crasha51pan]

Any of you Jarheads find your way to the north woods, here is what I'll do...

First I'll fire up the outside cook pit, and throw on some steaks..


Second, I'll put up some green smoke !!!

[crasha51pan]

Looks like rain for the next 5 days, snow on Sunday.

More Pics


Found this piece of North Viet Nam propaganda. Was taken off of VC. Shows how what was going on back in the states was feeding their propaganda machine. Hard to read (click thumbnail to make larger)


Monsoon night, Chu Lai 1966

[FistFu68]

A '34 CAME AND SAVED ME ON DEC.4;'68

[crasha51pan]

Glad you made it ! Welcome home my brother....

Semper Fi

[crasha51pan]

Received a call from my son in Iraq, he is getting short (under 100 days). I sent him a copy of my "short timers calender" I used in Nam. I added his camp to it.

After talking with him, I got to thinkin about how he will rotate out (with his whole unit) and how we left. I flew in one night in 66 and 13 months later I flew out. What I got then was to be able to watch the war every night for the next 8 years and the worst of all was not knowing what ever happened to the guys I left behind.

I had a large anger when I returned. I feel now as I felt then, the guys that served deserved better than they got. Both over there (I believe we could have made the whole country a parking lot in two weeks had we been left to do what war requires) and back here in the states.
Oh well, it was our time in history ! Didn't mean to go off. I make it a point that every person I see in uniform, I approach and say "Thanks for your service and sacrafice". They need to hear that...............................

[sparkie]

Know how you feel,Bro. I walked the gauntlet at Lindberg Field just outside of baggage pickup and got spit on. Now, tomorrow here in Vegas they have a welcome home Nam Vets goin on. It's a joke to me. I couldn't bring myself to show up there. Lifetime late and a dollar short. I am thankful, however, this new generation is gettin the appreciation they deserve. Like you said,,, our time in history, and they ain't going to re-write it with a thank you now. least not for me. I got issues too.

{PS__ My wife said "you should go",,,, I said nuthin]

[SgtJimc]

Had a large male Grizzly walk up our drive last week. Have come face to face with a Wolf and a Moose and a Mountain Lion, all on our 20 acres. I swear, its like livin on the Discovery Channel...

Sounds nice! I moved to Maine several years ago (to get away from people), and my backyard is like a super highway for moose, deer, fox, wild turkeys and one very lost bobcat. How did you handle the Grizzly? Our black bears here in Maine stay hidden because Maine still allows baiting and trapping, so they are pretty scared of people. Take care and Happy Birthday!!

[crasha51pan]

Sparkie,

The moving wall made several trips to southern Calif. and I refused to go. A guy I worked with one day told me it was back. That Saturday I jumped on my bike and rode over to Knotts (where the wall was), I laid back for a while then went up to it. I got to say It Was Hard ! After a bit I went and sat on a bench and just watched the people. There were sons and grandsons, mothers, sisters, brothers, friends and dads all reaching out to touch a name. It really tore me up. A guy approached me and said he was from a Orange County paper and was it OK to ask me some questions, I told him to get lost. Just then a homeless Viet Nam Vet came up and sat beside me, he leaned over and said "you come back late at night, nobody is here". I looked at him and said thanks..Nothing else needed to be said. I went back late that night, as he had said. I was alone, I got to tell ya brother...I shed a tear !
I too have laughed at the idea of a parade now. Too little too late. I will never be ashamed of what I did, I volunteered for the Marines and I volunteered for Viet Nam. I was 18 years old and I will never be president but I have my place in the history books. I will live with that.
The others will just never know !
I honor you and your service !!

[sparkie]

Love ya, Bro.

[crasha51pan]

Jim,
About the grizzly, in all honesty I stood on the porch and just stared. That was the final animal I needed to see. I have come face to face with the Wolf, Mountain Lion and now Griz. I can die a happy man...........
Those were things that I thought I would only see on TV !

PS
The Eagle was a rush also...........

[SgtJimc]

Jim,
About the grizzly, in all honesty I stood on the porch and just stared. That was the final animal I needed to see. I have come face to face with the Wolf, Mountain Lion and now Griz. I can die a happy man...........
Those were things that I thought I would only see on TV !

PS
The Eagle was a rush also...........

Most people go their whole lives and not see those animals up close and personal.......you are definately a lucky man!! Take care!!