THE WALL OF FACES

You will be remembered always by me. I will honor you in my prayers. I will never forget the good you brought to our country and my life. I wish I could have known you but that opportunity passed us by. But I will always remember.

My Amigo

It's hard writing this, but I owe it to Tommy. I've known Tommy all my life -- we were in Forrestal grade school together in Beacon NY, then into Beacon High. Tommy, Jeff Hoffman, and myself always did things together as we grew up. At that young time of our lives there was a unseen bond that tied us as one. The three amigoes had our first beer together -- tried smoking together, even took several police car rides during our rebel days. I remember Tommy as a person you can depend on. He would always help if he could! He'd stayed with you through the hard times. I was the first to leave. I left high school at age 17 and joined the Navy as a Gunner's Mate. Tommy was only 16 so he couldn't go! I was stationed at NSA Danang with River Division 55. Letters from home told me Tommy joined up after I did, so did Jeff Hoffman. We were planning getting together when we were all home, but that never happened. My enlistment was up in November 1968, so I came home. I learned Tommy was killed a year later. I was home, but did not go to the funeral. Even after 13 months in Vietnam and all that pain, I could not stand to see my friend, my amigo lying there. I chose to remember him as he was. We never got to sit and talk about the old times, or what we planned for the future. Tommy never got to meet the woman I finally married (although when we were kids we vowed never to even kiss a girl!) I still think of Tommy from time to time -- I even have our 6th grade class picture hanging on the wall of my den. For the past ten years, I go to the Rolling Thunder Run To The wall every Memorial weekend. I carry a special American flag on the back of my Harley during the parade. I leave that flag propped against the black panel that bears Tommy's name. I salute my departed but not forgotten friend -- promising him that I'll keep his memory alive, and that I will be back next year. "You got the point my friend, and I've got your back!"

Jack