Monday, October 22, 2018

We’re totally blown away!


Dear Editor,

We’re totally blown away! I was recruited to attend the Collier-Lee County Honor Flight Dinner Saturday at RSW.

We’re writing this Sunday evening, and are still speechless! I have always loved my country. I was born just before Pearl Harbor in a tiny Iowa village where everyone supported the war. At age five, I collected milkweed pods to help with inflating lifejackets. I stomped tin cans so its recycling could help the war effort. All four of my uncles and my only aunt served, so it seemed natural that I enlist in the United States Navy. For many years my best friend was Staff Sergeant “Big John” who served two tours of duty in Nam with the USMC Fifth Counter Intelligence Team. When we who served in the Vietnam era came home we wondered if the nation loved us as much as we loved it. Leftist political activists shamed and even spit on the returning vets.

The huge crowd assembled at RSW gave us all the emotional reinforcement necessary to know that, yes indeed, many people love us as much as we love America.

Throngs of military personnel stood at attention and saluted as the honored veterans paraded by. Hundreds of patriots, organizations, even children clapped, cheered, shook our hands, waved flags and banners, handing out flowers and homemade thank you cards. One young girl gave me a high five! I’ve never heard the words “thank you for your service” and “welcome home” so many times in my post-military life.

Samuel Orrin Sewell, LT “jg”
United States Navy
Naples, Florida
239 591 4565




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