Posted on 06/04/2004 10:57:25 AM PDT by SkyPilot
It was an unusual pairing of VIPs, but one that had patients and staff at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center buzzing.
Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Toby Keith and Motor City Madman and rock legend Ted Nugent stepped off an Army Blackhawk May 30 to visit the wounded at LRMC before playing a free USO concert in Illesheim, Germany. First was lunch at the dining facility. Mr. Nugent, an avid hunter, was pleased with the menu.
“Give me the biggest, greasiest, nastiest rib you can get your hands on,” said Mr. Nugent to one of the servers.
After lunch, the visit turned into an autograph and photo session as the two men tried to make their way to various patient wards.
“Snuggle me like you love me,” said Mr. Nugent as several nurses gathered around for a photo.
Once on the wards, patients gathered around to describe their injuries and receive a morale boost.
“Hello young warrior,” said Mr. Nugent as he walked into the rooms decked out in a large cowboy hat, red-white-and-blue sunglasses and a desert camouflage top. “Where are you from? Vermont? I love that state. Big deer up there.”
One Soldier, confined to a wheel chair, leg in a cast, patch over one eye and shrapnel wounds throughout his face and neck, began to sob as he told Mr. Keith what had happened to him. Mr. Keith, already shaken from a visit to the intensive care unit and donning dark sunglasses, used humor to defuse the tense situation.
“Hey, buddy, I’m telling you that 95 percent of America supports you,” said Mr. Keith. “We’ve got five percent of hippies who don’t support you, and we’re beating them up.”
“Our prayers are with you, as are the prayers of every American, and there is a chant across the land,” said Mr. Nugent. “The media does not represent what’s going on. The heart and soul of America is with you.”
The two men spoke with dozens of wounded service members. However, their trip to the ICU was the most moving.
“Words can’t describe how I felt,” said Mr. Keith. “That was an emotional roller coaster with negative G’s. I had to walk away.”
“The truth doesn’t get swayed by unfortunate conditions,” said Mr. Nugent. “The truth is that evil has to be crushed, and you have to send in strong warriors to do that. The emotional tendency is that if we avoid evil we will limit casualties, but in the final analysis it’s the exact opposite.”
There were, however, some light-hearted moments in the ICU. One came from a 73-year-old Korean War veteran who had Mr. Keith doubled over with laughter.
“He asked me, ‘You still feeding beer to those horses?’ I said, ‘Yes, Sir.’”
That question was in reference to Mr. Keith’s duet with Willie Nelson, titled “Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses.”
Mr. Keith said he tries to perform a USO tour for the servicemembers every two years.
Very moving. God bless 'em. U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
I agree, Great job by these 2 patriots.
Ping!!
I listen to Toby Keith every day during my commute to work. Keeps me going.
Toby is set to be the next Elvis. He will dominate the airwaves for years to come. His attitude and values really set the stage for his listeners.
Very cool. These two ROCK.
The chubby one didn't like that very much. She started wearing a T-shirt that had the initials: F.U.T.K
When she was asked by a reporter if it was in reference to Keith, she lied and said it didn't. Sheesh.
Agreed and they tell it like it is. I'm honored to call them fellow Americans.
 |
|||
|
|
 |
||
|
Country music star Toby Keith (news), right, and rock guitarist and noted outdoorsman Ted Nugent (news) meet with U.S. troops at Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan (news - web sites), Thursday, June 3, 2004 prior to a United Service Organizations (USO) performance for coalition forces here. Keith is touring U.S. military installations for the USO in Kosovo, Germany, Italy and the Persian Gulf. (AP Photo/Mike Theiler, USO) |
|||
 |
|||
|
|
|
||
|
Rock and roller Ted Nugent (news), right, shakes hands and speaks with Maj. Jess J. Abbott, a chaplain who is currently a patient at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, in Landstuhl, western Germany, in this photo taken Sunday, May 30, 2004 and made available June 2, 2004. (AP Photo/LRMC-U.S.Army, Sgt. Joe M. Battle) |
|||
|
||||||||
If Toby was single---
~~sigh~~
Nugent called in to the Bob & Tom show this morning from Kuwait. You could tell that he was wound up, he was on a roll even for him. He really laid into anyone who was weak on the war.
I know nothing of Mr. Keith, but I really, really like this quote.
Did you hear B&T afterwards? They played Toby Keith's taliban song, hilarious. LOL at your tagline.
Nugent/Keith 2008
Keith/Nugent 2008
Works for me!
Heh heh heh...Toby Keith ROCKS!! So does Gonzo!!
FReegards...MUD
bttt
Thanks for this awesome story! I just fired up my iTunes and am listening to Toby's Taliban Song. If you haven't heard it, you MUST!
quite a few years ago we had 2 deer hunters crossing the missouri river and their boat capsized and both men died.
ted nugent reading of this sent massive flower displays to their funerals and notes of condolences. terrible ted is always welcome here in st louis.
p.s. mr kieth also.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
