There are all kinds of reunions: high school, family, college, etc. Then there are those reunions that aren’t organized just for celebrations,
but more importantly for remembrance, honoring fallen comrades, and healing. The biennium gathering of Vietnam Veterans who served
in Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry was one of these. This year it was held in Colorado Springs, CO, and we were invited
to be part of the three day events. On Friday we visited Ft. Carson where the group was graciously granted access to several special
base training sections including the simulation area where troops were able to practice their shooting skills. Another simulation
building housed four look-alike Humvee Vehicles with machine guns, and other high tech equipment. Soldiers practice their driving
skills and teamwork prior to deployment (or re-deployment) to assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan. These maneuvers proved far more
challenging than any of us ever imagined. It made us realize how incredibly intelligent and efficient our current troops are when
being trained for combat. Our young military guides were so enthusiastic about their mission, their work and their willingness to
serve their country. Each had been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan at least once. Many had experienced three deployments with a fourth
coming soon. I couldn’t help envisioning the huge sacrifice they were making, as well as the commitment from spouses, children, and
parents.
The reunion ended with a banquet on Saturday evening which was far from any I had ever experienced. Before dinner was
served, the names of almost one hundred fallen and missing comrades were read by various members of the Regiment. Then, all eyes focused
on a round, empty table that sat on the stage with a vase tied with a red ribbon holding a single red rose. A dress military hat sat
next to the vase which made the entire scene a poignant reminder of those who would never attend any of these reunions. Since many
of our customs and stories are mirrored through metaphors and symbols, I thought you might find the following explanation of the empty
table meaningful.
The table is round - to show everlasting concern for our missing men.
The tablecloth is white - symbolizing the purity of their motives
when answering the call to duty.
The single red rose - reminds us of the life of each of the missing, and the love ones and friends
of these Americans who keep the faith, awaiting answers.
The vase is tied with a red ribbon - symbol of our continued determination
to account for our missing.
A slice of lemon on the bread plate - is to remind us of the bitter fate of those captured and missing
in a foreign land.
A pinch of salt - symbolizes the tears endured by those missing and their families who seek answers.
The Bible -
represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God.
The glass is
inverted - to symbolize their inability to share the evening’s toast.
The chair is empty - they are missing.
Sometime, perhaps 20 or 30 years from now, the warriors of today will be the old soldiers of tomorrow. Perhaps they will gather to remember, to heal, and to honor those who die in today’s war zones. And likely they too will honor a single empty, round table with an inverted glass and a red rose.
Reunion Memories from Dave Gehr:
120 grunts showed up! Pete McNaughton did a fantastic job! Took our time coming home!
Stopped the first night in north Platte, Nebraska (337 miles). Met up with the Powleys, Nett's
And even visited with some of the Fogarty's who were staying in the same hotel. Revisited the
very nice Veterans Memorial and hit the road early Monday morning. Took a break in council
Bluffs, Iowa and visited another memorial known as a casino. Stayed a few hours and earned
A fantastic jimmy buffet for gambling for 30 minutes, which is never a problem for Beckie, and
I even hit on a very big jackpot. Drove eastward and stayed for the night. Another 402 miles
Closer to home! Left Tuesday morning and stopped at a shopping mall then onward to the east.
Pulled in the driveway at 6:00 p.m. after the final 439 miles! Total trip miles driven by me were
2,458, miles driven by Beckie 0, but she helped with her various hand signals and continually
Insinuating where I should go........ A wonderful trip and sorry to see it end! Next reunion in
Washington, D.C., start making your plans. Will see you and hopefully many more there!
KENNETH ALMOND
RICHARD ANDERSON
JAMES & KAREN ASHER
RUBEN & ARLENE BARKLEY
TONY & JANICE BARTOLOTTI
WES &
JUDY FOGARTY BECTHOLD
JOHN A. & DEBORAH BENDER
JOHN T. BENDER
JOHN & PATRICIA BERGER
MIKE & KATHY BLOOMQUIST
BILL BRADBURY
JAMES & MARTHA BRIDGES
EDWARD & SUWANNEE BROWNING
TERRY & SUSIE BUCHHOLZ
ARTURO & DORA BUENTELLO
HERBERT &
BARB BURDETT
ROGER BYGNESS
OSCAR & LINDA CANTU
DANIEL CHRISTIAN & SUSAN CONWAY
GARY CLEMENT
GARY & MICHELLE CUNNINGHAM
JOSEPH
& FRANCES DAVIS
DONALD & META DELAMORE
DENISE DELAMORE & TRAVIS YEGGY
DAVID & KAREN DEMAURO
RICK & JOYCE DENOMME
RONALD
& JACKIE DEVRIES
TOM & KAREN LAISURE DINGER
ERVIN DOBOSIEWICZ
JAMES DONAHUE
MARTY & NORMA DOUGLAS
NICHOLAS & JENNIFER DRAGON
BOB & GAIL DUPLECHIN
DELBERT & JOSIE EYER
LARRY (TOM) FERGUSON
RUDY & CYNTHIA FERNANDEZ
JOEL R. & MARGARET FERNLUND
TOM "MOOSE" &
JANET FERRAN
ROBERT & EILEEN FOGARTY
ROGER & ARVONNE FOGARTY
DAVID & BECKIE GEHR
BUTCH GODLEWSKI
MIKE NIZICK
JOSE &
HELEN GONZALES
BARBARA STAPLETON
GREGORY HALL & CHRIS & KENT
GARY & CAROLYN HARDING & NICKOLAS
OSCAR & SUE HARRIS
EUGENE
HECK
LOEL & CLARIAN HUNT
PALMER JOHNSON & TINA JOHNSON
MIKE KALLANSRUDE
PAUL KENDALL
FELTON KIDDER & JANICE DUPRE
JAMES KLOTZ & PAM KARJEWSKI
DENNIS & LYNNE KRAUSE
ERROL LANIER
CHARLES LEFEBRE
KENNETH & APRIL LYONS
ROGER & CINDY
MARTIN
TOM MASON & ELIZABETH MASON
CLARENCE & LINDA McCAIN
WILMA (BILLIE) FOGARTY McGRANE
PETER & SUSAN McNAUGHTON
DENNIS & CAROL McQUADE
JOHN & JACKIE MEADOWS
WILLIAM & ANN FOGARTY MEIRICK
LLOYD & VICKI
LYNN MIETZNER
GARY MILLER
RICHARD & LORETTA MISAKI
DENNIS & LARETTA MITCHELL
RICHARD P. MONSON
LARRY & DEBBIE MORAN
RON
& CLAUDIA MORE
JIM & SHARON NELSON
JOSEPH & DIANE NETT
ARTHUR OLIVAS
ROBERT & GINA O'NEAL & PATRICK & DECLAN
JOSEPH
PIAZZA & LARA PALI
DAVID PICKETT
JOSE A. & CYNTHIA PINA
GARY & BARB POWLEY
PAUL QUINN
KENNETH & JOANNE MAUSLEIN REINERT
MAC
REPPERT
ROLAND & DOLORES RESPESS & JADE ALLISON
LARRY & BARBARA RHODES
ROBERTO & BECKY ROBLES, JR
PETE &
SALLY ROJAS
MIKE ROOT
RICHARD & KAREN ROWE
RUBEN & MARLENE SANCHEZ
RUDY SANDOVAL
HARTMUT & ROSEMARIE SCHULER
BILL &
PATTI SCHWINDT
TONY & JANET SEAHORN
JOHN E. SHARP
HENRY & DOTTIE SHERRY
RAY SIMPSON
JAMES (KEITH) & SALLY SKILES
BILL
& DENI SLATE
LOUIS B. SMITH & S. WEDDEKING
TYRONE & GLADYS SMITH
DON & CAROLYN SNYDER
WILLIAM & MAVIS SPENCE
JOHN &
MARY KAYE STELZER
BILL & RITA STOPP & DEMIAH J. TORIX
THOMAS (TIM) STRUS & STACEY STRUS
MIKE & PAM SULLIVAN
DAVID &
BETTY SUTTERBY
DOUG SYVERTSON
JAMES TOBIN
TOMMY & DEANNA TOMPKINS
FRANK VALENTO
ROBERT (KOOKIE) & DIAN VIALPANDO
DAVID
& SUSAN WALKER
VINCENT C. WEBER & SHARON FROST
DORSEY & BARBARA WEEKS
ALEC J. WHITE
JAMES WHITE
JERRY WHITE
RALPH & ANITA
WILKS
TED & KATHY WRONKIEWICZ
STEVE & PAM YANES
PAUL N. & KAREN YECKEL
TOM & SUE ZUREK
Tony Seahorn, Felton Kidder, Robert Vialpondo, Marty Douglas, Joe Davis, Charles LeFebre, Tom Dinger, Keith Skiles, Tom Mason, Ray Simpson, Ed Browning, Tom Ferguson and Jim W.
Joe Piazza and Ralph Wilks haven't attended a reunion since Washington D.C.