[Bumper]

Final Salute

Read all 12 parts, it is worth your time....

 

[Gunnutty]

Amen!

 

[Rock and Glock]

Thank you, Bumper. It got a little "hard" to read there in parts, but was a fitting tribute on Easter Sunday.

 

[rstickle]

Thanks for that.

 

[QKShooter]

Thank You Bumper

:usflag:

 

[P95Carry]

Oh my - that is so good, well written and so evocative.

Thx for that - not that it was easy to read thru some of it (a lot actually).

 

[Captain Crunch]

Oh, man.

Bumper, you owe me a box of Kleenex.

 

[madmike]

Bumper,

I'm sorry, but I couldn't read that one.

I tried, but on the second page, I could see where it was going. Or, at least I think I could.

While serving as a gun captain on the ship in my avatar, the USS Newport News, I was asked to serve as a "special escort" for a shipmate. I don't know about other branches, but when a sailor dies in the line of duty, the family can request that a friend escort the body home, rather than a stranger.

So, I've stood at the head of a casket and presented a folded flag to a mother who'd lost her son. And I've spoken those words.

Believe me, returning to that war was far easier than leaving it, to take that young man home.

Maybe I was wrong about thinking I knew where that article was going. But I think some memories should just be left at rest.

For those who've not had such an experience, I do hope you understand why I don't want to re-live any of it. But I also hope that the article is able to teach you something. I do believe you can learn from the experience of others, without having to go through the experience yourself.

It's often better that way.

mm

 

[craig45]

thanks bumper. a very good read.

too all service members,

THANK YOU.:hand10:

 

[falcon1]

Thank you, Bumper.

 

[ssssthesnake]

semperfi

 

[Bumper]

Bumper,

I'm sorry, but I couldn't read that one.

I tried, but on the second page, I could see where it was going. Or, at least I think I could.

Not a problem, Mike, I expect it was going where you thought it was. It is a glimpse into a job that makes many of our jobs seem small. Very, very small. At least it does for me....

 

[tanksoldier]

I couldn't finish it either...

 

[.45acp]

I saw a similiar story about a year ago. Yep, some things you won't forget.

 

[A1C Lickey]

I got to the part where the widow started to put mementos into the casket and I just couldn't continue.