Mr. Eckert,
You don't know me but, I need to pass along some information to you.
First, My name is Tom Smallridge and I served with C/1/5 in VietNam. I have been a personal friend of Joel Kernodle's for some years now.
Joel rode in the Rolling Thunder trip to Washington D.C. last week and then attended our twice annual get-together in Mathews, Virginia.
On Tuesday evening, as Joel was riding riding home, he laidhis motorcycle down on U.S. 60, about 15 miles from Charleston, West Virginia near a little town called Cedar Grove.
Joel sustained a good number of injuries including a severe amount of head injuries. I have been down there at the hospital since the accident. I returned home this morning to take care of a few personal chores and to get clean clothes. I'm going back to Charleston at 7:00 in the morning to be with Marla.
I'm sure you are very well aware that Joel has always been a NO BULL$HIT type of Marine and therefore, I'm going to cut straight to the chase. I was with Marla when the doctor gave the straight skinny on Joel's condition. Joel is not going to make it on this. The nuerosurgeon says that the damage done to the brain and brain stem is so great that Joel's chances of survival are zero.
...
I thought it better that you find this info out from another Marine than from reading it in the newspaper or some such. I'm sorry to be the bearer of such news but, Joel always spoke very highly of you and I thought you should know.
Welcome Home and Semper Fidelis, Tom Smallridge