I remember a young man from my hometown who was killed in Viet Nam... and this young man who served with my son over in Iraq... taken by a IED strapped to an overpass. Ben was in the gunner turret of a HumVee.
I won't forget,,,,,, Flying Old Glory proudly today in honor of those fallen !!!!!

I was 9/10 years old when I started to hear of young soldiers in the area getting killed. Our small farming community seemed to have a high number of men get drafted. Our cub scout den mother showed slides from her son during one of our meetings.

I remember seeing the service star flags hanging in peoples front windows in the neighborhood I can’t even find a pic of one on the internet. A kid a few doors down from a buddy was KIA. My uncle was in Cameron Bay he sent me one of those colorful jackets from there. I hated the liberal protesters and the disrespect for our guys that BS did not go on in our neighborhood at all.

My uncle who enlisted and left a wife and 3 children behind.

My great uncle

John Amos McLeod USN KIA pacific two days before VJ day.

Twice removed first cousin.