Page 79 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2021- Online Magazine

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VieTnaM War

and that was about it. But the night they returned to David said, “Right now, it is up 24/7. If it tears up,
San Francisco was the first time David saw firsthand a new one will go up behind it. The flag will come
how some people felt. “I remember how happy I was down when the last man is back on American soil.
when I got back and went out on liberty the first night There are all kinds of veterans who had worse lives
in full uniform. We were coming back, expecting than I had, and there’s all kinds of civilians who will
everyone to be friendly. [Instead, I] had rotten eggs never understand what we went through. Regardless
thrown at me. I was more than a little bit upset, but of how hard you talk, there are some who won’t
my buddies calmed me down and took me back to listen.”
base.”
His advice to those who choose to serve in the
When David completed his tour, he returned military is, “There will be highs and lows. No matter
home and worked at a gin and, after that, in road who is sitting in the White House, that red, white,
construction. That was when he met Barbara. She and blue still flies over the top of it. So, put your faith
was working at the Dairy Queen where David and in God and your feet on the ground, and if for any
his rowdy reason you have to go to combat, do your job, keep
co-workers your head up and be proud of who you are.”
would stop
in daily to
drink coffee.
Barbara
informed her
mother quite
adamantly
that she
would never
marry a man
like him. One
week later,
they had their first date,
and two years later, he
popped the question. That
was 53 years ago.

The couple adopted a
special needs child who is
now 34 years old. David
chuckled as he showed me
his Father’s Day present. It
was a “round tuit”, so that
he could get more done
instead of waiting until
David and Barbara's son he got "around to it". He
said his son “never met a
stranger.”

He retired in 2014, after 43 years of driving a truck in
the oil patch. Today, he enjoys life with his wife and
son and keeps watch over the American flag he flies
at his home.

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