Page 81 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine Fall 2019- Online Magazine

viEtNam war

army

right in the nose. those feelings for many years. I later chose to
He had sneaked get involved with the South Plains Honor Flight
into the back of because all veterans deserve to be honored.
our hooch inside When I went on the 2012 Honor Flight, the
the hill. That was Vietnam Wall was very emotional, and I had to
a little too close.” walk off by myself. One of the ladies saw how I
was reacting and came and sat beside me and let
One of Charlie’s me know everything would be all right.”
fondest memories
in the military Charlie has waited a long time to tell his story.
was the time he After sensing a divine prompting in his heart,
went to Sydney, he finally knew it was time. His faith carried
Australia for him through many brushes with death over
some R&R. his lifetime, and now he feels he can encourage
He told some others if they get overwhelmed with life. To meet
university students that he “wanted to go where Charlie, few would guess he has been through
there were no G.I.’s. He met a girl who took him so much. His friendly face is quick with a smile
home for dinner with her parents. “We went to a or a laugh. He is a reminder that his life was
restaurant, and the patrons paid for our supper. “recycled” for a reason.
I had a great time in Australia, and they were all
very friendly.”

On his original discharge date, his unit was
“hit by about 60 rockets and mortars. I started
smoking in earnest that very day, and that
turned into a three-pack-a-day habit. After
seventeen years of smoking, I quit cold-turkey.
Twenty-one days after I quit, I had a massive
heart attack.”

Charlie met his wife, Donna, on a blind
date in Dallas. She was a school teacher in
Richardson, and they married in 1970. They
have a daughter and a son, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren. Charlie worked at Texas
Instruments for 18 years. During his time
there, he had a heart attack and arrested three
times. Charlie later went into the insurance
field and finished his working career at
United Supermarkets. He is retired and is
designated a 100% disabled veteran, partially
due to exposure to Agent Orange. He is often
reminded of the numerous miracles in his life
which helped him survive, and he lives with a
grateful attitude.

Vietnam veterans were not treated as heroes
on their home soil. Recalling his return from
Vietnam, Charlie said, “...When I came back,
I got spit on and called ‘baby killer’. I buried

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