Alwaysawarrior

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THIS WAS ONE DAY I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD LIVE TO SEE

In Feb. of 1968 I had decided to enlist into the U.S. Air Force
I had signed up to serve an enlistment of 6 years of duty total
I would serve 4 years on active duty and 2 years in the reserves

I had trained for 8 months and I volunteered to serve in Vietnam
I arrived there in Nov. of 1968 and I was sent to the Mekong Delta
Where I'd serve as a fire & rescue truck mechanic and also a cop

I had turned 20 years old while I was still in technical school
I had managed to get a weekend pass to go home for my birthday
It was very nice to see my family & friends that weekend at home

The months had went by extremely slowly during my tour of duty
We were always being attacked by the VC with many mortar attacks
There were many times I felt that I wouldn't live to see age 21

And to my own great surprise I did live to see my 21st birthday
We celebrated it with C-Rations & Pepsi-Cola in our own bunker
Since we were on standby because of enemy activities that night

Now here I am sitting at my desk tonight and recalling the past
And it still amazes me that I had survived to be a 21 year old
An even more amazing fact is I'll be 68 years old this Sunday

© Terry Sasek - Alwaysawarrior - all rights reserved.
Sunday July 31st will be my 68th birthday - Amazing!!!!

I was very happy to look in the mirror this morning and to see
that old man's face staring back at me as I recalled just how
sure I was back in 1969 that I would never live long enough to
see myself turn 21 years old on July 31st 1969. While serving
over in Vietnam I never dreamed that I'd ever live long enough
to see my birthday that year, let alone be around 47 years later
to see myself turn into a 68 year old man that was now staring
back at me in the bedroom mirror this morning of July 29, 2016.
I still can not believe that with everything that I have been
through in my own life, that I could have been so blessed by
God to live long enough to have met my perfect wife, to also
be blessed with two beautiful children and watch them grow up
and get married and bless us with three wonderful grandkids.

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THIS WAS ONE DAY I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD LIVE TO SEE