GailA on the weekend posted a thread Here --
her home town of Millington welcoming home the Troops - -
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Learned something astonishing from replies --
"Gail, does the Navy still have a base in Millington?
I know it used to be the largest inland Naval base in America.
A fellow S-2 Scout from Nam was WIA in the hospital there for years back 1969.
God bless the good folks in Millington!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
6 posted on 07/10/2005 9:37:09 AM EDT by kellynla
(U.S.M.C. 1st Battalion,5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Div. Viet Nam 69&70 Semper Fi)"
and the reply:
"To: kellynla
Yes the base is still here BUPERS now not training, we are set to get another 1,000 jobs through the BRAC closing rounds. Which is a real big plus for Millington.
14 posted on 07/11/2005 6:56:33 AM EDT by GailA (Glory be to GOD and his only son Jesus.)"
And here is something posted by El Gato that will "cheer up" the hearts of everyone who served or had someone close who served in Southeast Asia during Nam --
(El Gato was in the military, and now works for the government as an engineer)
"To: GailA
On the last leg of my "TDY" to Orlando this past week, I sat next to a Reservist coming home from Iraq. I think it may have just been for two weeks R&R leave. There were several on the little commuter turboprop. He pulled out his pictures and showed me his photos from Iraq and Kuwait. Like the guys in this article, he is a truck driver. Although stationed at the local active duty post, he's a local resident and has been in his current unit since '92. (Which goes to show you how old I'm getting, he didn't look old enough to have been in the military since '92 :) ).
Although all the military in uniform boarded first by American Airlines policy, and got off first, by unanimous consent of the other passengers, I was right behind him and got to see the "Daddy!!!!" momemt on the "non-sterile" side of the security station. Saw several other such reunions as well. They'd been traveling for 3 days, and were all pretty beat looking, but that didn't dampen the scenes with families, girl friends, etc.
There was even an LT on the other side of me, accross the aisle, but I didn't get a chance to speak with him.
10 posted on 07/10/2005 10:45:07 AM EDT by El Gato"
Thank you, El Gato, for letting me know about the American Airlines policy - - now the TOTAL OPPOSITE of what my husband experienced returning from Nam in 1968 --
FORCED TO SIT IN THE ABSOLUTE REAR OF TWO FLIGHTS ACROSS COUNTRY TO GET HOME.....(and get off last)
"so he wouldn't upset the civilians aboard!!
This came after a Hippie Spitting Party in the terminal at San Francisco where the 200 returnees directly from combat in the jungles had to drag a line of pukes into the bathroom to teach them a few lessons they didn't "get" in college - - the first, "Thou Shalt Not Spit in Public."
The airport police gave them the thumbs up signal as they THEN called the police and medics to mop up..:)))
After I shed a few tears at "the righting of a terrible wrong,"
I am able to relax for the returnees of today...
thanks, Gail and El Gato...
