Memphis
Member
I'll try to make this as brief as I can for bandwidth usage. But I stopped by my 89yo Mom's house for a visit and yardwork and she met me in her breakfast room with a smile on her face. She pushed a large shoebox over to me on the table. I opened it and found what seemed like hundreds of letters..all written by my big brother when he was in Vietnam to all of us back home. I don't know for the life of me why (after 44 years) I have never sought information or known more about what he did or went through back in 1968-70. These letters were like a time capsule, with emotion and passion and heartbreak and all that that war was. Barry has never really talked about it to us much. I don't think he really avoided the subject, but we just basically haven't asked.
I'm like the Roy Jinks of the Epperson family. The historian if you will. I have all the letters, pictures and memorabalia from my dad's Air Force years in WWII. But up until now, nothing from my brother in Vietnam.
I now know he was in the 199th L.I.B. (Light Infantry Brigade) C 4/12. He was wounded and received a Purple Heart and an Oak Leaf Cluster. He is now 66 years old and doing well after a few marriages and battles with drug addiction. I love him more than I can tell you and can't tell you how wonderful of a man he is. After the war he lived his life as an electrician. He now has 4 Harley's. A 84 Shovelhead, a 58 panhead, a trike and a street glide.
I found in these letters a "Firearms Export License". Me being the gun guy that I am asked him about it today. He said he was going to bring back an SKS but that a fella bought it from him before he brought it back.
I may not have know much about his place in the military before. But I can promise you that shortly I will be WELL informed. There is so much on the internet regarding specific info on his brigade. I asked him a couple of hours ago if I could have his Purple Heart and Oak Leaf cluster mounted in a shadow box. He just smiled and said "shore".
When I think of how unworthy I am basically to even speak on what my father and brother have done so I can live my life, have my hobbys and enjoy every sun filled day free and safe well it makes me feel greatful. For some reason today I'm not too concerned with smith and wessons, but rather am reflecting on not only what they did, but also what many of YOU have also done.
I'm not really sure why all of this has got such a hold on my guts. But I guess I posted all of this just to say with all my heart and with all that I am, for every one of you that served in ANY branch of the service for every month, day, hour and second that you endured, THANK YOU and God bless you.
Roger
I'm like the Roy Jinks of the Epperson family. The historian if you will. I have all the letters, pictures and memorabalia from my dad's Air Force years in WWII. But up until now, nothing from my brother in Vietnam.
I now know he was in the 199th L.I.B. (Light Infantry Brigade) C 4/12. He was wounded and received a Purple Heart and an Oak Leaf Cluster. He is now 66 years old and doing well after a few marriages and battles with drug addiction. I love him more than I can tell you and can't tell you how wonderful of a man he is. After the war he lived his life as an electrician. He now has 4 Harley's. A 84 Shovelhead, a 58 panhead, a trike and a street glide.
I found in these letters a "Firearms Export License". Me being the gun guy that I am asked him about it today. He said he was going to bring back an SKS but that a fella bought it from him before he brought it back.
I may not have know much about his place in the military before. But I can promise you that shortly I will be WELL informed. There is so much on the internet regarding specific info on his brigade. I asked him a couple of hours ago if I could have his Purple Heart and Oak Leaf cluster mounted in a shadow box. He just smiled and said "shore".
When I think of how unworthy I am basically to even speak on what my father and brother have done so I can live my life, have my hobbys and enjoy every sun filled day free and safe well it makes me feel greatful. For some reason today I'm not too concerned with smith and wessons, but rather am reflecting on not only what they did, but also what many of YOU have also done.
I'm not really sure why all of this has got such a hold on my guts. But I guess I posted all of this just to say with all my heart and with all that I am, for every one of you that served in ANY branch of the service for every month, day, hour and second that you endured, THANK YOU and God bless you.
Roger
