Veteran's Day

50,000 deep on the parade route, all there to say one thing:“Thank you Viet Nam Vets. We love you.” 3,500 people in the parade, one of them me. I never do these kinds of events but my friend asked me to be the Grand Marshall in this Welcome Home Viet Nam Vets Parade, held in Las Vegas, and I said yes. I rode in the back of a “bling-ed” out Hummer with movie, TV and radio star—and my good friend--Jerry Doyle. Truth be told, the tricked out Hummer was a bigger attraction than the two of us “follicley” challenged guys.

At first, I was uncomfortable, waving to people like I was somebody. But then I saw them: the guys in Tiger Fatigues with tears in their eyes, the guys in wheel chairs waving with their one hand or just looking, I don’t know, satisfied or content. They yelled, “WELCOME HOME BROTHER!" Man, that was something.

Then I saw the kids. They all had the day off from school because it was Veteran’s Day and most of them were at the parade because their parents made them go. I’d look at a young boy or girl and wave, then yell, “HOW COME YOU AREN’T IN SCHOOL?" They’d smile and then their Mom or Dad would tell them, “Say thank you.” And they would, embarrassed but happy that some guy in a parade waved only to them.

Vets were yelling, “WHO YOU WITH?" (This was their way of asking what unit you were assigned to.) Guys would yell back: “4th ID,” “25th,”5 Special Forces,” “USS Kentucky,” “I was a TRASH HAULER."

I had to put my sun glasses on. I did not want the kids to see me crying.

After the parade, Vets came up to talk to us, just to say hi or to say thanks. We talked to a former POW who spent 7 ½ years in the Hanoi Hilton. He was on fire when he was shot down--on fire... Some people recognized me from TV, but that day it was not about FOX or me; it was about us and it was about time and I let the crowd wash over me. That day it was about us and we connected; we were home.

I know that that damn War touched us--touched me--in ways that we still do not fully recognize and that we have not fully dealt with, but part of the journey has finally begun. In a way, the day was sad and overwhelming; I missed my Dad and my brother and all of the brothers who are no longer with us and yet in another way, they all seemed to be with me in the parade and I felt full. I felt....like I was home.

Comments

[Lisa]

Wow.... simply wow.

[Nurse Judy]

Col Hunt:
You guys were our guys.
You guys were my guys.
Every Saturday and Sunday night the student nurses from St Louis City Hospital School of Nursing would go to the USO in downtown St Louis and dance with you guys.
Some guys were from Scott Air Force Base.
Some guys were from Ft Leonard Wood.
Some guys were just passing through.
It didn’t matter where the guys were from.
We all knew where they were going.
Nam.
That word was on all the guy’s lips.
That word was in every conversation with the guys.
We talked with the guys.
We fast danced with the guys.
We slow danced with the guys.
We pretended not to see their tears when they tried to hide them.
We talked to them about their tears if they wanted to.
We told all the guys goodbye.
We kissed all the guys goodbye.
We wrote to the guys until the letters stopped coming.
We wanted to welcome the guys home.
We never got to.
There has always been that void.
After reading your Veterans Day Column, that void filled up a little.
Welcome Home Col Hunt and all my Nam guys, wherever you are.
Welcome Home my Heroes.
Nurse Judy

[Colonel Hunt]

Thank you...

[Chris Sears]

Want so to respond since I am definitely responding within myself, but it would be so NOTHING as compared to Col. Hunt's writing (and Nurse Judy's too!) So, just saying, "Ditto - what Lisa said." And, for the hundreth or so time, "Thanks Col. Hunt."

[Maggie45]

THANK YOU, Colonel Hunt!!

[Jim]

Thank you!!! Col. Hunt God bless