Page 63 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2021- Online Magazine
P. 63
... and His Compatriots with Marine corps
Paws VieTnaM War
talk about it. Sometimes, after closing, they would
spend hours talking. Eventually, their friendship
turned to romance, and they were married. Mamie
had been left with five small children when her
husband died, and Jim became their new dad.
Eventually, Jim received the much-needed counseling
and treatment for PTSD, and he and Mamie were
married 45 years before her passing three years
ago. Jim’s family includes 29 grandchildren, 18 great-
grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren.
Despite the problems that were caused in his life
Jim (right) with his beloved German Shephard Tina
by the war, to Jim, the good outweighs the bad. He
is thankful for the friendships that were formed while
raiding parties of the Vietcong who were trying to he was in the Army and the respect he gained for
steal ammo, food, and medical supplies from the US himself and others.
military; the job of Jim’s team was to keep that from
happening. During one of those raids, Jim knew that And this patriot is very proud of the fact that all five
he had shot and killed one of the raiders. It wasn’t of his sons, Brook Smith, and Jack, Howard, Terry,
until the cleanup the next morning that he realized and Brian Martin have served in the military.
that the one he had shot was a 13-year-old boy.
Even though the boy was one of those behind the Sherri is widowed and lives in California. She and Jim
AK47s shooting at them, it affected Jim in a way that are friends, and he visits her periodically. He doesn’t
he hadn’t experienced before. When his tour of duty blame her for divorcing him. He says it was the right
was over in Vietnam, he told the Army, “I’m out!” thing for her to do. He is grateful for the diagnosis
and treatment he finally received for PTSD.
Once back in Lubbock with Sherri and their
son, Jim’s trauma began taking its toll; his Seven years ago, Jim went with the Lubbock Honor
behavior became intolerable for Sherri, and she Flight to Washington, DC. Pictures of that event hang
divorced him. It wasn’t until 18 years later that Jim proudly on his living room wall.
realized that he had been dealing with undiagnosed
and untreated PTSD. When asked what Jim wanted people to remember
as they read his story, it was this: “Please remember
While working as a bartender, he met Mamie. He the real heroes. They are the ones who didn’t come
learned that Mamie’s husband had died in Vietnam, home. They are the real heroes.”
and that became a connection between them. Mamie
wanted to hear about Vietnam, and Jim wanted to
Medicare Supplements
David B. Lewallen
FUEL & STORAGE independent agent
We support our veterans
2815 74th St P.O. Box 53957
Bolton Fuel 6 Locations lubbock, texas 79423 lubbock, texas 79453
Bolton Storage 7314 82nd (806) 792-7510 fax (806) 799-8153
Doing business locally for over 38 years
Lubbock Senior Link 63
