REUNION WITH AN ANGEL I once hugged an angel, although her wings could not be seen just the same she was an angel, and she was dressed in Army green. When first I did see her, she was standing across the way with some old soldiers, twas’ a “reunion" you might say. A bunch of us “old soldiers" had gathered once again, but on this day an angel, came to walk among us men. She said she had served, in Viet Nam during the war, she had been a nurse, but to us she was much much more. She had come to talk to us, her story she would tell and I wondered if she knew, she brought heaven into hell. As she spoke of caring for the wounded, tears did fill her eyes she had worked in the hospital, at a place called Phu Bai. The name is was not strange to me, a nurse there once I knew I had been a “screaming eagle", and had been to Phu Bai too. My thoughts drifted back in time, to a wounded friend with death so near and the rotors, of a Huey, once again I seemed to hear. I could see the “dustoff" as it rose into the air and whisked by friend to Phu Bai, they had the best of care. When there too I was taken, I learned God called my friend home I sank into deep despair, and I felt weak and so alone. A nurse came over to me, said he is at peace above and she put her arms around me, and I drew strength out of her love! When she turned and walked away, I made a solemn vow I would return that hug some day, not knowing when or how. My mind then brought me back, to hear this nurses closing words Could this be that same nurse, Please God let it be her. Then a soft voice inside me, said that she already knew that if I returned that hug to her, I’d be hugging all the nurses too. Slowly then a line formed, with each and every man waiting to tell her thank you, and to shake her hand. I said a silent prayer, while I did also wait that God would help her understand why, I returned this hug so late. When face to face we came, I said a hand shake would not do and I told her “Patti" I must return something to you. I put my arms around her, the I.O.U. was paid fulfillment of a promise, to a nurse long ago made. And then she too embraced me, and I knew the slate had been wiped clean! A debt was finally paid in full, accepted by an Angel an Angel dressed in Army Green. I wrote this after I ran into one of the nurses some 37 years after our paths crossed the first time in Phu Bai. dedicated to LTC Patti Hendrix, and all the Viet Nam Nurses, in the memory of my friend Ken Perry, Sgt USA panel 02w line 83 Randy 101st Airborne
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 22:41:06 +0000
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