Veterans who live among us often inspire us...

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Speaking with The Second Lady is always great; her enthusiasm is evident right through the phone.

I thank the Lord every night that Kara is in an organization that recognizes her talents and gives her the opportunity to thrive.

With images of Marcy Darcy, Al 

Bundy's banker neighbor, dancing in my head as we spoke, I asked how things were going with Regions.

The conversation goes to another level with my daughter's zeal as she relates some of her customer encounters.

She has a few 'favorites'.

  One of those is a stud combat veteran, a helicopter pilot who rescued a LRRP (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol) team in Vietnam. 

 Mel Shinholster is a bonafide United States Army hero.

Ann and Mel Shinholster at the DAR State Convention in Auburn, where Shinholster won the first Distinguished Citizen Medal given in Alabama by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Read more at: https://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/2015/01/05/mel-shinholster-honors-veterans-as-bssfi-president/

 "We’ve been compromised and we need an extraction."

I can still distinctly remember our RECONDO instructor, with that serious and somber look on his face, indicating when all avenues of egress have been exhausted...

... the Pric 77 will be our lifesaver.

"It was April 4, 1969, and just-turned 21-year-old Mel Shinholster was in command of his UH-1 Huey helicopter, scanning the night time tree line.

Shinholster was looking for any sign of the U.S. Army Rangers fighting for their lives below, in a foot race to stay ahead of North Vietnamese Army units that were in hot pursuit."

Read more:

https://www.al.com/wire/2013/10/a_vet_remembers_44_years_ago_a.html

 Legendary...

When the Sergeant Major was stationed at Fort Jackson, SC, along with his fellow Special Operator in Panama, SGM Gainey, another mission for this remarkable grill was in store. 

SGM Gainey asked to borrow it for his own barbecue.

My father was more than willing to accommodate his good friend and fellow warrior.

The Sergeant Major had no idea his treasured barbecue grill was going to be violated. 

 The Sergeant Major affirms to this day that, subsequently, everything roasted on that grill smacked of goat...

 I was honored and privileged to meet some combat studs at one of my father's barbecues while I was stationed at Fort Rucker.

This young captain found himself among some of the most capable infantrymen on the planet.

These warfighters knew they were in like company and shared a most memorable encounter between my father and the first true rotary wing gunship...

 As recounted earlier, SSG Daw's platoon was point for a battalion-sized Search and Destroy mission, pushing through a massive rice paddy field, when my father's Spidey Sense, already fully activated, had a spike of impending danger.

As SSG Daw was maneuvering forward in the huge rice paddy, its broad horizon was narrowing.  Each kilometer narrowed the platoon's flank such that my father could discern the individual trees in the distant tree line.

He halted his platoon and contacted his battalion commander - in the rear of the battalion, of course - with his Pric 77.

SSG Daw sensed they were becoming vulnerable to ambush.

"Keep moving forward, Sgt Daw!" was the response of this REMF.

Easy for him to say, as he was not among the point platoon.  SSG Daw followed orders and kept forging forward as the horizon narrowed further.

SSG Daw's Spidey Sense was now screaming.

My father halted the platoon's advancement and scanned the tree line with his binoculars.

He saw leaves falling from a clump of banana trees...

Ambush !

  ... seconds later, the report of the enemy's machine gun sounded.

Many casualties occurred initially, as the platoon hit the water-soaked ground trying to escape the barrage of death emanating from the heavy caliber weapon.

Bits and pieces of the details surrounding  this ambush had been revealed over the years to me; this time I was in the presence of the heroes who were actually there with my father.

According to my father, his platoon was pinned down and his radio requests for artillery or fire support went unheeded.

For long, interminable minutes.

The machine gun position would activate if any soldier dared raise his head.

Some of the soldiers started praying for God to intervene.

Yes, Martha, God still had plans for my father.

Suddenly, the radio started squawking:

"I'm near your position!  Get ready to smoke the machine gun's position!"

Like music to SSG Daw's ears, he could hear the thumping 'whup-whup' of those wonderful Huey blades in the distance.

As the chopper rounded a hill, SSG Daw got his first view of a Cobra.

As the brothers in arms would each add more color to this Man and Machine encounter, I was eager for the next detail.  

I can still clearly remember one of these studs, laughing so hard his eyes glistened, as he described how my father reacted when he laid eyes on this skinny two-seat helicopter for the very first time.

This was most certainly NOT the Huey he was expecting.

SSG Daw, knowing he was a distance from the machine gun emplacement and his full faith in the Lord for his protection,  stood upright - fully exposed to enemy fire- and tossed that smoke grenade as far as he could in the direction of the threat.

All four of these guys were now busting a gut, laughing as they described the look on my father's face as he smoked the position.

Priceless.  

... wouldn't want to be ya." 

The brothers in arms continued:

"Your daddy continued to stand upright and stared in amazement at the rockets the pilot launched from the Cobra...

... hurtling just a few feet above his head!"

Just like that, the threat was ended.  The VC scurried like cockroaches.

They had never seen something so fierce hovering just above them...

DUSTOFF was called in for evacuation of the dead and wounded.

 My great fortune was because of the invaluable guidance provided by the Sergeant Major.

And the grace of God...

Kathy, one of my DTA's (Dental Therapist Assistant), was a delightful and talented lady.

Kathy, similar to the lady above, always sported a nice smile and was respected by all at the Fort Rucker DENTAC.

Her restorations were superlative; my evaluation of her work reflected only excellence.

Her husband, Jim, gained my immediate respect not only from his Manly Man demeanor...

... most importantly, he flew Dust Off missions in Vietnam.

 This Prince of Persia acolyte with Stage IV Trump Derangement Syndrome has not only come into contact with The Ugly Stick, it appears the the whole Ugly Tree participated...

Yikes!

That face is something to behold...

... James Carville and I are authorities on such.