Put down the rifles and your rice bowls my uncle is getting married in Vietnam got a new letter.
I’m all alone boys are cyber schooling my wife is actually in her office this morning. And as a union teamsters I decided drop sick I got the days to burn I’m in mood to make it a five day holiday. Anyway my uncle retired United steel workers and he was a widower. He decided to travel on his union pension, Europe New Zealand Vietnam japan Poland Ukraine Eastern Europe to search church records Russian orthodox for relatives. He is into researching family history. After he traveled to Vietnam like year later he went back and established a residency. He is former marine infantry I think his tour was like late 67 to January 69 those guys had thirteen month tour. At that time he was in college for mathematician. He got kicked out I cannot remember for what anyway the draft caught him.
He tells story that when he was at his induction physical he was trying to play deaf. And for being a unpatriotic asshole he says they set him up draft board to get drafted in marine corps. He says the draft board had no time for a educated hippie cuz they fought in WW2. After the war as infantry marine, he came home went to work in same steel mill as our father another Vietnam vet. He writes actual letter to my one brother who was marine infantry also yes I aggravate my brother call him LEG as he was never Airborne infantry as I it’s a joke all in fun. Anyway my brother will scan and email our uncles letters.
We have been invited to come to Vietnam after vaccines I’m taking boys and I my brother is going as well. I posted in vet section awhile back our uncle is extremely happy living there and he invited us to come. So we wanted to go to see him and fish the catfish are huge in this river his pictures.Now we’re gonna go next August hope Covid vaccines to meet our new addition to the family. This woman that he met seems to be fine lady as his first wife. I’m happy for him she’s a doctor she is 68 years old I think he is 70 or 71.
They met at church dinner he’s been doing Catholic Church as no Russian Orthodox Church available. I joke we’re bi religious our great grandfather was Russian orthodox our great grandmother was polish catholic they met after WW1. I myself after marrying my wife defected to the Lutherans , we’re relaxed we are the Grateful Dead of Christianity the Lutherans I’m joking I find humor people.
This fine woman that he met she is a doctor still practicing a doctor like our one brother. She was schooled university in Russia and came home and was NVA doc. I smile because the one bar my uncle hangs out is owned by former NVA officer arvin and nva troops all socialize together. The Vietnamese are so kind and forgiving towards my uncle and expat American vets. And you know it’s odd my uncle was in same marine battalion that my mothers brother was in. He my mom’s brother didn’t make it home. And in this letter he wrote that it was August 68 that he heard he got KIA my mom’s brother he remembered his name .
In my last letter to him I told him our mom his sister in law is in dementia she asks about her brother. Mom gets confused although I tell our uncle she remembers shit us kids did in our teenage years. And she will tell us you boys were onry then she says oh you were just boys.
He was wanting our mom his sister in law to come with us as well. He didn’t know she cannot travel. Hey it’s life I’m happy for him reading his letter. On back porch with the Duncan pup as the pup is eating dirt I just fed him not sure what dirt eating is about. I sent my brother pics to send print off pictures of us and our grandsons and daughters and our boys. And the dogs especially Duncan pup I told my brother to add Duncan pup is our anchor baby in letter to our uncle. I ramble just glad our uncle is well and living for once memories of war now have faded I hope. And he’s happy cuz he has menthol cigarettes and miller beer and is in love.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Oh yea and our new aunt I almost forgot that part 