Turkey Day, Yankee Station

[HenryC]

It was my first Thanksgiving away from home, 1967. And the one I remember the clearest.

The choppers from the aircraft carrier brought us our holiday dinner, turkey and all the fixin's, with endless gallons of ice cream to wash it all down with.

It was right around sunset and I was sitting on the fantail with a buddy, stuffing my face, when my shipmate pointed  towards the coast, just out of sight over the horizon.

"Just think.  Charlie's out there, squatting in the bush, trying to make his bowl of rice last as long as he can."

[DOUG142]

HenryC,
Thank you for sharing that.
And Thank you for serving in our military.  We all are thankful for.....well, just being.
I went in 1970 and 20 some years later of service in the Air Force. I can't remember how many Thanksgivings and Christmas's missed away from home. 
We are home now and very Thankful for everything. 
God bless,
Doug142

[rsahlender]

This brings up all sorts of emotion for me. I graduated high school at 17 in 1972 and of course had to register for the draft soon after. As I am sure most of you will recall the draft had become a lottery by then. When the lottery numbers for 1973 were published my number was up around 326. The scuttlebutt was that if you had a number above 300 you were unlikely to be called. I was never called and of course the big pull out happened soon after that. I was prepared to enlist in the Navy if I had ended up with a low number in the lottery. I guess I hoped my ham radio skills particularly high speed morse code would have enabled me to serve in communications on a sub or a ship somewhere.

So I never served... and can only imagine what it must have been like thinking about what "Charlie" was up to out there... and for many years since have felt like I missed something real important in life... something that can't be put on any bucket list.

The best I can do is offer another voice of thanks to those who are or have served. It is because of all of you that I can put something like sailing on my bucket list after all these years and haul my boat wherever I please and whenever I please anywhere in this country and many parts beyond.

[David]

I briefly touched on this subject in post about 2 weeks ago and did not mention it outright, as thought it might be one of those politically incorrect things we were not allowed to talk about on the forum.  Many remember the draft, and for those of us that got a letter that opened with "Greetings from the President of the United States," we will forever remember that day.

However as stated by others before, we owe a thanks to all who were away from home on holidays and who fought for the right we now have and celebrate at Thanksgiving and all holidays.  From the colonist to those today that serve in the military and other government positions that keep our country free for us to do what we want to - Thank You.

Unlike RichS, I cannot think about this without breaking down from emotions. He is very lucky to be one step behind me.  God has shielded some of us.

Happy Thanksgiving to all, and for those who were away from home for a holiday, Thank You.

David