Yes, Francis, I agree. All branches of service.
Another I remember today is Maj. Charles (Madman) Kelly, my cousin's husband. He lost his life "medivacing" wounded from a hot zone in Vietnam on 1 July, 1964. He is credited with being the driving force behind instituting the use of choppers (Operation Dustoff) to evacuate wounded from battle zones. I attended his funeral as a 12 yr. old lad. It made a lasting impression on me with taps bugled, the gun salute, and the missing man formation fly-by.
From Wikipedia:
Kelly was killed in action on July 1, 1964, when, after being warned out of a hot LZ, he replied, "When I have your wounded." A bullet entered through an open cargo door and pierced his heart. Major Kelly became the 149th American to die in Vietnam. The following day, an officer tossed the bullet on his desk in front of Kelly's successor, Captain Patrick Henry Brady and asked if they were going to stop flying so aggressively. Brady picked up the bullet and replied, "we are going to keep flying exactly the way Kelly taught us to fly, without hesitation, anytime, anywhere."[1]Kelly is buried in Georgia[2]
Days like this I remember the closing scene of the movie "Saving Private Ryan". As an old man he is visiting the grave of John Miller who was instrumental in saving his life and helping him get home. He says to the fallen Miller's grave "I hope that at least in your eyes I have earned all that you have done for me". That is my wish, too, to live a life worthy of the sacrifices made so that I and my family may live free.
SRH
