This past weekend, I got to experience something quite amazing. My father-in-law is a Vietnam vet. He hasn't really kept in touch with those that he served with, and while I've seen the photos of him over in war, I haven't heard all the "war stories," which I think could be interesting. Every year, the men he served with get together for a reunion and this year my in-laws had plans of going, but plans changed and they didn't make it to the reunion. I was kind of sad that they weren't going to be able to go because I thought it would be a great time and besides they never get away, and I thought this would be a good opportunity for that. So I was surprised and excited for my father-in-law when we found out three of the men he served with were planning a trip to come see him!
Three men - Alan, Tommy and Terry - arrived at my in-law's house on Friday afternoon. Two of them live in Texas and the other in Iowa. The whole weekend was spent talking, reminiscing and sharing life together for those few days. My family and I went over on Saturday to meet them and talk with them. My brother-in-law was there too and this was fun because it was like the old vets meeting the newer vet since my brother-in-law just got back from a tour in Iraq in February. They had a lot in common and a lot they could talk about that only military men would understand. These men were so friendly. Sometimes the conversations would have you in stitches and sometimes it would have you in tears. The things these men remembered including my father-in-law amazed me.
I was really bummed when I learned from Kevin on the ride home that I missed the battle story where all four men walked through the day my father-in-law got shot because I was putting the girls (my two and my niece) down for their naps. I have always wanted to hear that story, but never asked because it feels like such a sensitive subject. Kevin told me that everyone was teary-eyed as the story went on. He said the group got ambushed immediately after leaving the helicopter behind. The men on the front line ended up fighting with their hands, knives and the bottom parts of their guns rather than through gunfire because they were simply too close to the enemy. One man on the front line survived, Terry. Kevin said all the men said his dad was way too modest because he really was a true hero that day saving lots of men's lives. There were a lot of men that pretended to be dead so they would make it out alive.
Kevin's dad was never supposed to make it out alive. He wasn't supposed to live. Ahh, I can't wrap my mind around this because my life would be so changed. One of the men said that we should all consider my father-in-law a hero to which my brother-in-law said he always considered his father his hero. Ahh, heartwrenching. I know that Kevin feels the same way. My father-in-law is an amazing man who has been through a lot, who is very down-to-earth, has a very hands-on approach to life and who would do anything for his family. And, I love that these men came to visit him. As Kevin said they did it for him, but they also did it for themselves. I was so glad that I got to be a part of such a special weekend.
Three men - Alan, Tommy and Terry - arrived at my in-law's house on Friday afternoon. Two of them live in Texas and the other in Iowa. The whole weekend was spent talking, reminiscing and sharing life together for those few days. My family and I went over on Saturday to meet them and talk with them. My brother-in-law was there too and this was fun because it was like the old vets meeting the newer vet since my brother-in-law just got back from a tour in Iraq in February. They had a lot in common and a lot they could talk about that only military men would understand. These men were so friendly. Sometimes the conversations would have you in stitches and sometimes it would have you in tears. The things these men remembered including my father-in-law amazed me.
I was really bummed when I learned from Kevin on the ride home that I missed the battle story where all four men walked through the day my father-in-law got shot because I was putting the girls (my two and my niece) down for their naps. I have always wanted to hear that story, but never asked because it feels like such a sensitive subject. Kevin told me that everyone was teary-eyed as the story went on. He said the group got ambushed immediately after leaving the helicopter behind. The men on the front line ended up fighting with their hands, knives and the bottom parts of their guns rather than through gunfire because they were simply too close to the enemy. One man on the front line survived, Terry. Kevin said all the men said his dad was way too modest because he really was a true hero that day saving lots of men's lives. There were a lot of men that pretended to be dead so they would make it out alive.
Kevin's dad was never supposed to make it out alive. He wasn't supposed to live. Ahh, I can't wrap my mind around this because my life would be so changed. One of the men said that we should all consider my father-in-law a hero to which my brother-in-law said he always considered his father his hero. Ahh, heartwrenching. I know that Kevin feels the same way. My father-in-law is an amazing man who has been through a lot, who is very down-to-earth, has a very hands-on approach to life and who would do anything for his family. And, I love that these men came to visit him. As Kevin said they did it for him, but they also did it for themselves. I was so glad that I got to be a part of such a special weekend.
Alan, Dan (my father-in-law), Tommy & Terry
