Just a little story my dad sent me

[Lickdem89]

Excellent Read!
America still does exist - sometimes the looking for it just gets a little tougher!
This is better than good, it will make you feel good.
These don't come along too often


As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries
towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting
inside the car, with the door open. The old man was looking at the engine. I put
my groceries away in my car and continued to watch the old gentleman from about
twenty-five feet away. I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag
in his arm, walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too
and took a few steps towards him. I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood
and say something. The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a
brand new Cadillac Escalade and then turn back to the old man and I heard him
yell at the old gentleman saying, "You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at
your age." And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber
out of the parking lot.

I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief and mop his brow as he went
back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then went to his wife and spoke
with her and appeared to tell her it would be okay. I had seen enough and I
approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight and as I got near
him I said, "Looks like you're having a problem." He smiled sheepishly and quietly
nodded his head. I looked under the hood myself and knew that whatever the
problem was, it was beyond me.

Looking around I saw a gas station up the road and told the old gentleman that I
would be right back. I drove to the station and went inside and saw three attendants
working on cars. I approached one of them and related the problem the old man had
with his car and offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.

The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to
be comforting his wife. When he saw us he straightened up and thanked me for my
help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine) I spoke with the
old gentleman. When I shook hands with him earlier he had noticed my Marine Corps
ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded
and asked the usual question, "What outfit did you serve with?" He had mentioned
that he served with the first Marine Division at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and
Guadalcanal. He had hit all the big ones and retired from the Corps after the war was
over.

As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the
hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped
by me and I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card. He still reached for
the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his name and address on it and
I stuck it in my pocket. We all shook hands all around again and I said my
goodbye's to his wife. I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back
up to the station.

Once at the station I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come
along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they
refused to charge me. One of them pulled out a card from his pocket looking exactly
like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then, that they
were Marine Corps Reserves.

Once again we shook hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me
I should look at the card the old man had given to me and I said I would and drove
off. For some reason I had gone about two blocks when I pulled over and took the
card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long, time.

The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name... "Congressional Medal of Honor Society".

I sat there motionless looking at the card and reading it over and over.

I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on
this day, four Marines had all come together, because one of us needed help. He was
an old man alright, but it felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage and
an honor to have been in his presence.



America is not at War, the Military is at War...America is at the Mall.

[Fubar5812]

wow thats awsome!!

[TheChiefIsIn]

I'm speechless...that, or I just can't think of anything to say. That story was awesome.

[skaterjon89]

Good story, pretty amazing...

[Parker-0321]

Thats awesome, just straight up awesome. We are a hell of a brotherhood to say the least.

Good post

[David Jameson]

Made my morning,thanks

[Motto Poolee]

My Dean of students called me down to her office out of the blue to give me this story once, I was like wtf, then I read it and I was so moved! Amazing story, really shows the brotherhood of the Corps.

[contessojohn]

That's an awesome story, Different time of service , different forms of service(enlisted and reserves) but that didn't matter cause God knew what he was doing! The brotherhood is a stronger power than anybody knows, I can't wait intill I can call another Marine,My Brother!