MARINES, Today I feel good.....

[Sparrowhawk]

Today as I went out to the mail box I found four checks there, one for each of my daughters going to College.

They were issued to them by the Veterans administration and are the benefits of the war I fought in 35 years ago.

I felt good, 35 years ago I was in a hospital in Chu Lai, south Vietnam. A group of us Marines had been drinking and we broke into the the Air force storage shed where they had camouflaged utilities.


Camouflaged utilities, like they really needed them back in the rear. But I remember that night very well. The beer and drinks the Marine jet pilot's had bought me at the Marine corps club. and as we made our way back to our hospital beds that storage shed was just sitting there, with no one around guarding it.


But As I reflected on those memories I realized it was all part of the big package. The fighting, the dying, the pain and sorrows. The joys of friendship you can only find in war was all there.

I would have never imagined I would live through the war and make it back home, and 35 years later I would have five daughters, going to college with the benefits I earned while patroling in the rice paddie fields of South East Asia, while being shot at and shooting back.

Was it all worht it, sometimes in the dark shadows of the night, I don't know. Sometimes like today, I feel good.

Today I feel good.

Semper Fi, Marines, my friends

we've all earned that title and I only wish some of you would have met those Marines that were at my side at that time so many years ago.

Cook

[lindagr41]

Cook..Hon I'm glad you are having a good day. You deserve so many more.

I want to tell you how much your sharing your memories and war stories means to me. I come by sometimes just to read your Vietnam Diary. I can't wait to read the book. How's that going?

If you need any help with touching photos or ANYTHING..just let me know.

Miss you

me

[JAMarine]

As I've told you many times before, I'm proud you came home.

You one in a million.

Fi Marine.

[LongShot]

Cook

Even in those dark moments of the night remember that there are always a bunch of us around who appreciate what you went through, are proud to call you "Friend", and will tell you that what you did was worth it.

Enjoy your good day and I hope you have many more to follow!

Semper Fi

[vance]

Glad you had a good day Cook ! That is outstanding getting the dough for the kids to go to college. May you have many ,many more good days .


Semper Fidelis

[DrPepper]

Lets all pray that the good days out number the bad ones. Life is made up of many, many memories and as we reflect on all of them try to learn the lessons and remember the people we have met that have touched our lives to this day. I try to squeeze as many good moments as possible out of every day.

Cook - a toast - \_/) - to many more good days =)

Semper Fi Marine
A big OOOOHHH RAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Pepper

[ecomsg68]

as Mark Twain once said ...

Sometimes my feelings are so hot that I have to take the pen and put them out on paper to keep them from setting me afire inside; then all that ink and labor are wasted because I can't print the results.

- Mark Twain, a Biography -