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Inspirational stories posted by veterans, active military, family & friends telling how they successfully found and reunited with their old
friends & family, enjoyed a reunion together, along with the feelings and emotions that were evoked.
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Re-Union
I talk to him about www.VetFriends.com & together we share the info with the others we find.Bill Braden & I were "Best of Buddies" in Grade School (lst 5 grades). We moved away from ALA, and then moved back in l958 as Juniors at Woodlawn High, in Bham, WEB SITE: www.WoodlawnHigh.Org (Class of 59). He was in the Army in the 101st Airborne, in Viet Nam & I was in the USAF, AUG 59-Jan 67. Once on leave in l963, we got together at his parent's home, & then he & his dad took me back to the farm. We lived at Coalburg ALA, where Lassiter Mountain Race Track is now located, & after that I lost track of him. Over the years, I tried to find him to no avail, but when the WOODLAWN site mentioned "Re-Union" I thought I could find him, but he wasn't listed, so I started putting emails all over the internet. One night I got a call, & it was Bill. It seems that he has a daughter living about 10 miles from me, IN OKLAHOMA, while he's still in Birmingham, ALABAMA, at Vulcan Materials. Now, I'm Retired. In 2003, just before Thanksgiving, he came to see his daughter & we had our own "Mini-Reunion" just the two of us, at the "Old Country Buffet" a Local Restaurant. We have been on the internet & on the phone several times, I talk to him about www.VetFriends.com & together we share the info with the others we find. ' ' |
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Veterams United Across Race & Time
This vet's belated re-union with two veterans past; one Black, one white; united in struggle."Veterans Re-Union", both contemporarily and traditionally, means a get together, often at a hotel, of some same unit, same service, or at least same war; of soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, or merchant mariners; all souls, with or without spouses, once similarly situated, to share again, what once was. This is not such a veteran's re-union story. This is a re-union of three veterans; one separated by a century from the two others; the two others, separated by race, and the prevailing social prejudice of their time, and place. I knew the future Rev. Wootten enlisted at the beginning of the Civil War from his father, Shadrack Wootten's Pitt County, N.C., cotton plantation; he'd been a student at Trinity College, Connecticut. He enlisted as a sergeant in Company B, 5th N.C. Cavalry. His unique 13-ring "bull's-eye" canteen is on display at the North Carolina Museum of History, Raleigh. The Black veteran in the field with but not "in", the Confederate Army for many years; I would meet in the Confederate Pension Records Collection, of New Hanover County, in North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh. Rev. Wootten's son, my beloved grandfather, like my other three grandparents; shared the racial prejudice of their time and place, concerning the Negro, the "Colored". Thus I was astounded, as I reviewed the accepted and rejected New Hanover Confederate Veteran pension applications, that with a Wilmington Red Cross lady, my grandfather's father Rev. Wootten, was fighting for a Black who had served years in the field with his master's unit, to be awarded the same as white veterans who'd served. Alas, neither the Red Cross Lady, nor Rev. Wootten together, could surmount the division of their pre and post Civil War prevailing social structure. But the pile of letters, bespeak, they tried. Hard! Why? Fairness, justice, equality; but more than that; I believe Rev. Wootten saw in the Black Confederate Army veteran--himself; there but by race, color, and the Grace of God. An ex-Navy vet myself, at that moment at that Raleigh archives table a century later; I felt as if one with two men, one always free and one once enslaved; both once in Confederate service that later would bond them in common cause, a half-century later. A Black and a white veteran, a Red Cross lady, in-common pride; banded together, fighting then a too common prejudice. This vet's belated re-union with two veterans past; one Black, one white; united in struggle. ' |
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My reunion w/ my Marine Buddy after 35 years
The best part is after a while it felt like there was never a 35 year gap in our friendship.My wife Jackie planned a surprise 60th Birthday party for me this past November. Boy what a surprise it was for me. I had no idea about it whatsoever. She planned it for a month before my actual birthday so I would be even more surprised. Only she went one better in her planning. She spent a month on line going into every Veteran friend site that she could find looking for an old friend of mine. I always said to her that if there was one person from my time spent in the military that I would love to reconnect with, it would be my friend Victor Riviera. We spent one year together at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey California. We became brothers during that year. True friends. But as life has it, we were sent on to Vietnam separately and lost contact with each other. Last time I heard from him, he had been sent back to NY because he was wounded. Thankfully, he recovered completely from his wounds. Then we went on with our lives in hopes that one day we would see each other again. My wife Jackie made that happen for us. When I entered my party and everyone yelled "Surprise", I said my hellos to family and friends, after things calmed down Jackie announced she had one more surprise for me. She had me turn around and wait. From behind me, someone put their hands on my shoulders and called me by the name they used for me in the Language Institute.."Quan" he said. I knew it was him. I said "Victor"? He turned me around to see. It's a moment I'll never forget. We embraced each other. In a manly Marine embrace, of course. Jackie hired a videograhper and had it all captured on tape. We had the best time talking over old times. The best part is after a while it felt like there was never a 35 year gap in our friendship. We've already seen each other again since then. He lives in NY still and Jackie and I went to see Victor and his wife Toni around Christmas time. We email each other from time to time and we also vow to never lose touch again. That's my story, Jack ' |
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Reunion of the Best
It was a tearful moment to have all of us together again and meet the others that paved the way for the rest at "The Deuce". |
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lost brother
After returning from Vietnam ( 1969 ) I was stationed at 8th & I Washington D.C, I met Cpl. Walsh and we became instant friends, after serving together for 2 years we both left the U.S.M.C. and went our separate ways.For my 40th Birthday my wife wrote a cover letter to every Bob Walsh in Philadelphia P.A. She found Him! She told me to go upstairs and my present would be delivered shortly. In walked Bob Walsh I thought I had seen a Ghost!! What a Great Present ! Semper Fi Mike ' |
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Reunited With a Military Buddy
It was a wonderful moment that we will both remember for the rest of our lives, and we owe it to Vet Friends. Thanks for making it possible.After leaving the Air Force in 1972, I took a job as a civilian employee in Saudi Arabia in 1977. I met and became friends with a retired Army buddy named Silas Brown who was working for the same company at the same location. After completing my contract, I returned to the States and maintained contact with him for several years. As Time passed I lost track of him, but he was always on my mind. When I joined Vet Friends, I read about the email locator service, and sent him an email. Fortunately he had also become a member, and responded to my email. We talked on the phone several times in the last few years, and finally in September 2004 while on a trip out West, we were able to meet in El Paso, TX for a short visit. It was a wonderful moment that we will both remember for the rest of our lives, and we owe it to Vet Friends. Thanks for making it possible. ' |
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Photos
24 of the neatest black & white photos of us in the field, seen for the first time, 30 years later at that reunion.I was in a 30 man strike team know as Tiger Force in Vietnam in 1968. We stayed in the jungle of the Central Highlands for months at a time and were re-supplied every week or so by helicopter. On this re-supply a military photographer, Stan Parker, came out to the field and stayed with us for a week snapping pictures the whole time. One of the guys, Phil Blevens, asked Stan if we could get copies of the photos he was taking. Stan said no, once the photos were turned in to the military, they would not release them or give copies to anyone. So Stan gave Phil a roll of film to make things even. Phil put the roll in his pocket, took it home with him, through it in a box and forgot about. 30 years later we were all going to gather at a reunion. I got a hold of as many buddies as I was in touch with, including Phil, and told them to make copies of their VN photos and bring them to the reunion so we could trade them with each other. Phil remembered the roll of film, found it, put it in his pocket and came to the reunion. As soon as Phil walked in he showed us the roll. We jumped into a car, drove to a one hour film center, had the roll developed and several copies made. 24 of the neatest black & white photos of us in the field, seen for the first time, 30 years later at that reunion. ' ' |
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Long lost friend
We have been in contact ever since December 2004.For thirty seven years I was wondering what happened to my friend. We met in AIT and were shipped to Viet Nam, we were in the same company in the 4th Infantry Div. I had to leave the Country early so I lost contact. In 2004 I was searching the internet for Army friends and did not think of this one. Late 2004 I typed in his name and was surprised that I got a hit, and now I have an address and a phone number. I was shaking like a leaf while the phone was ringing, his mother answered and I asked for him after explaining who I was. She told me to call back because he was away so when I got him it was like I was talking to him as if we had never been apart. He was seriously hurt several times in Viet Nam so I had to start from the beginning of our meeting. I sent photos of us and little stories with the pictures, as soon as he received the pictures he shared them with his mother and we have been in contact ever since December 2004. ' |
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Parle Reunion
Thanks VetFriends for your help!The first reunion in 40 years for the crew of the U.S.S.Parle DE-708 was quite an experience. We all met in Jacksonville Florida in March 2005. It took awhile for us to recognize each other after all these years, but it only took a day once we got used to how we all changed and it seemed only a day had passed since we last saw each other. We all found out that we can no longer take the long nights out anymore and we were all in bed by 9 PM! We plan on staying in touch from now on and will be holding another reunion in a few years. Thanks VetFriends for your help! ' |
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friend from Vietnam
In less that a week I got an e-mail from an old buddy, one of the few whose name that I remembered after 35 plus years.While searching for guys from my unit in Vietnam (1969-70) I found a web site for the Aircraft that I repaired, OV-1 Mohawks. To my joy and excitement they had a guest book that I signed. In less than a week I got an e-mail from an old buddy, one of the few whose name that I remembered after 35 plus years. We exchanged info and phone numbers and he called me that week. He's in NY and I'm in VA. We talked for almost an hour and man, what an experience. We laughed and cried. He told me of the impact that I had in his life that I wasn't even aware of. Needless to say, we're e-mailing almost everyday and exchanging pictures. ' |
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