As a member of the Colonel Hardy Murfree Chapter, NSDAR, this letter is to thank the courageous American soldiers who served in Vietnam during the 1960s and 1970s. At the time our young family moved throughout the Southeastern United States, including the Gulf Coastal Region, with my husband’s telecommunication work. Letters were written along with our prayerful support.

During WWII, when my dad was serving, first as an enlisted soldier then a War-time commissioned officer, my mother instilled thankfulness in my heart of, to quote our motto, “God, Home and Country.” That thankfulness remains. So with great pleasure whenever I meet a soldier, they receive a most sincere thank you for their service.

To close, this brief story was told to me by my late cousin Colonel Chet Bogle, USAF, retired.

After flying his 100th mission during the Korean Conflict, he later reported for duty in Vietnam. As Saigon was about to fall, orders came to evacuate people who had helped the American Effort there. A large cargo plan was gutted, straps were installed and fitted to secure maximum capacity people, standing for flight. This plan enabled approximately 385 “souls” be airlifted out to safety. Upon deplaning, the passengers lined up outside the aircraft.

“Why.” Chest asked. “Are they just standing there?”

“Sir,” was the reply “They won’t leave until they thank you.”

Tears had formed in my cousins eyes.

All of us thank our soldiers.

Dinah House (Mrs. Douglas Patton House)

Smithville, TN