Back from Kokomo...Vietnam Veterans Reunion~Epilogue

Sun, mixed with clouds today, with rain coming tonight.....cooler temps and a wet weekend are a possibility as the end of the week approaches.

Kokomo part 5 Epilogue____

The temperatures dropped down to the middle 30s overnight on Thursday and into early Friday....the forecasters had missed the boat on much of the original forecast...predicting sunny skies and cool temps, they at least had the cool temps down correct.

Friday was the official opening day of the Reunion, although by any stretch, much of the groundwork and partying had gotten started long before that.  Sam Lewis had arrived on Sunday, McCandless on Monday, and I was there by Wednesday morning....Friday would see our new found friend Ian, back from Afghanistan, present the Organization President, Dollar Bill with a flag that his Med-Evac Chopper crew had flown in country.  New bricks would be placed at the Memorial Garden, including two purchased by Tom and the Boar's Nest.  All eight nurses, who paid the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam, would be honored with memorial bricks.  The American Bald Eagles would fly and the huge American Flag would be walked to it's spot above the memorial garden.

Other speakers and entertainment would go on throughout the day....Santa and his band of elves would make the rounds, picking up donations for the forgotten and nearly forgotten Veterans in Vet Nursing Homes in Indiana.  As for me....I would help move the flag, along with a few hundred others, I would for a short spell help Santa gather cash, and then finally I would visit the various campsites near and around the Boar's Nest, saying my good-byes to old and newly found friends at the Reunion.

All-in-all it was another great time, but all too short.   Last year 30 hours, this year, 52, hopefully next year God willing, I can make my stay longer...I also plan on being back for the mini-reunion, on the first weekend in June.

As I headed east on Indiana-26 I felt a tinge of regret that I had to leave early, but I was also glad to be facing a good warm shower, and sleeping in my own bed...

back later>>>>

Photos-(1)The Giant American Flag at the Memorial Garden lights up the night over the campgrounds-(2)Ian Weiger presents the flag flown over the Afgan War to HCVVO President "Dollar" Bill-(3) Ian joins Santa and Carl the Elf in collecting donations for aging Veterans-(4) Memorial Bricks in honor of those past warriors, including the 8 Nurses KIA, were place along side of those already laid in the healing grounds-(5) I do my small part with the presentation of the flag as we walked the giant symbol of America to the poles above the Memorial Garden-(6) Not all was party time, as Rick one of our neighbors from the 101st Airborn across the roadway, takes a catnap.