A PURPLE PATCH

This past September 2005 we got to do something so out of character; it truly had to be a divine intervention. Both Andy and I, were born in Brooklyn, New York, so it's kind of inbred not to trust strangers. We were raised in a place where if a stranger bumps into you, you check your wallet to see if it's been stolen. So why would we want to fly 3000 miles to meet and stay with a total stranger? Because something was telling us that it was the right thing to do - that it was meant to be. We know you'll agree that we made the right decision after reading about this honorable man and his wonderful family.

While searching for information concerning Andy's hospital stay at the 24th Evacuation Hospital Viet Nam in 1967, we came across Dr. John Baldwin's story of Bruce Clark (included on John's IWVPA index on the page that displays his article in the book, "What Do You Stand For?). His heart wrenching story profoundly affected our lives and we knew then, that Dr. Baldwin was a man that we would love to meet one day. After corresponding on the internet for about nine months, Andy and I booked a trip to Twain Harte, California to meet him and his family.

Upon our arrival in California, we traveled three hours through the beautiful High Sierra Mountains and over the 9624' high Sonora Pass to reach our final destination. It's been said, that first impressions are the lasting ones. We'll, we were greeted by Dr. Baldwin hanging the family laundry on the clothes line. We thought to ourselves, this is just how we pictured him. No false pretenses, just a wonderful guy. He immediately stopped what he was doing, gave us a big hug, and showed us around his beautiful, but modest home. We had our own guest house and we were able to come and go as we pleased. After freshening up, John took us to the supermarket, where he insisted on purchasing snacks and refrigerated items for our comfort.

Later that evening we got to meet his wonderful wife Jeannie and son Will. Jeannie is a funny, warm, loving person. Her beautiful smile made us feel welcome from the start. We were surprised to learn that Jeannie also served at the 24th Evac Hospital as a surgical nurse.

William is a son anyone would be proud of. He possessed all the great attributes of both his mom and dad. He's funny, warm, smart, and loving. The first thing he said to us was, "Can't you just stay here in our guest house forever? I'd really love for you to live here with us." He loves veterans and just adored being with Andy.

That evening, we went into town to a wonderful little Chinese restaurant. The food was superb - the best we ever had. We sat and enjoyed each others company immensely. After a great evening together, we retired early. It had been a long day and we wanted to be ready for the next action packed day.

The next morning at 9 am, there was a knock at the door; it was Dr. John. "Breakfast is ready". He prepared Belgian waffles, bacon, juice, coffee, and fresh fruit. Everything was just great!

Jeannie had a quilt show to attend. She volunteered her time and talent at the quilt fair and had to miss our trip to Yosemite National Park. John had already packed a superb picnic lunch for all of us, complete with sandwiches, fresh fruit, and a special bottle of wine. He even remembered the crystal wine glasses. Upon arriving at Yosemite, we made our way to John's special place; the veranda at the exquisite Wawona hotel. Nestled in our special spot, with a spectacular view, we enjoyed lunch together. We even got to experience nature at its finest.

Just a few feet from us, there were six squirrels, all in a circle, hissing at each other. We thought it must be some kind of a mating call. As we further observed, we realized they were warding off an enemy... a six foot rattlesnake. We took some pictures as we marveled at nature at its best.

After lunch, we walked over to El Capitan Mountain to watch the mountain climbers. John knew all the particulars about the exhausting climb up and was a perfect tour guide. Our trip to Yosemite National Park was truly sensational and our experience will be told by us, for many years to come.

The next day we hiked a mountain lake, picked sugar pine cones that were about a foot long, and visited the beautiful wine country in the High Sierras. The places we visited possessed remarkable beauty. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Can you imagine, we did all that and we still hadn't come to the highlight of our visit?

Later that evening, John, Jeannie and Will, prepared a very special dinner for us. They fixed Filet Mignon with all the trimmings. We sipped some very expensive wine and toasted our special friendship. It was to be an evening that Andy and I would hold dear to our hearts forever.

After dinner, John and Jeannie invited their neighbors over to witness the surprise presentation of the Purple Heart Medal and Citation to Andy. In spite of the wounds Andy received on the battle field in Viet Nam thirty eight years ago, he was not nominated for, nor did he subsequently receive his much deserved Purple Heart. Dr. John felt it was long overdue so he did some investigating and wrote up the citation. Both John and Will took turns at the podium speaking of that awful day, so very long ago. As the beautiful, emotional ceremony came to a close, Dr. John and Will called Andy forward, pinned the prestigious Purple Heart on his chest, and presented him with the citation, signed by General William Westmoreland, General Creighton Abrams, Stanley Resor, and Dr. John Baldwin. Everyone present was holding back the tears.

The next day, our trip to Twain Harte, California had come to an end. It was time for us to return to Florida. We knew we had been given something very special in life, the gift of friendship. But it was even more than that. We left with a love for the Baldwin family, a love that can never be broken. We're thankful to God for giving us the opportunity to meet this wonderful family, and for giving us the insight to follow through with our trip. We look forward to many wonderful years of friendship.

©Copyright November 2005 by Maureen Brigante