LETTER TO AN OLD FRIEND

Robert Charles O'Hara

SP/5. Army. Iowa. Viet Nam Feb. '69. these were four things I saw that we had in common as I sorted through the many red bracelets honoring POWs and MIAs of the Viet Nam war.

I wore that bracelet for many years to honor you and to remember you not only for myself, but many others as well. It was always there on my wrist 24/7, through years of toil in a foundry, showers, thousands of casts into my favorite fishing holes, to church, and to many veteran's events. It finally started showing the wear so I replaced it with a `new' one. a little fancier, wider. pretty snifty! Still have the old one but in '96 when I came to visit you and the others at the wall, I left the newer one on the arm of one of the `three soldiers' statues. I really can't say why I did that. it just seemed right I guess.

They say your chopper went down in a pretty hot area over there. They tried and failed to find any sign of you and the guys who were with you.

Your fate. the fate of all of those who've been missing these many years has been an ache in your brothers' hearts for a very, very long time.

You can probably imagine my surprise and my joy when two days ago, while watching the local news, when I heard that your entire crew was finally found! I still have goose bumps. Your folks are there with you now but I can tell you that all ten of your brothers and sisters were there at Arlington when they laid you to rest among many other heroes. They called you Chuck. I saw the memorial for you in your hometown; `Lost Nation'. seems like a very inappropriate and ironic name for a town that counts men such as you who have given all to ensure that a nation was NOT lost.

Anyway Chuck, my heart sings that you have found your way back among your brothers and to the land of the free. home of the brave. God willing, I'll be visiting the wall again one day and when I do, I'll be checking in on you and bringing that red bracelet to leave with you there.

Welcome home brother! Welcome home!

©Copyright November 11, 2002 by Randy E. Richmond