A Service that Cannot be Repaid
Have you ever had one of those Mondays where you get a parking ticket, spill your coffee, miss an interview, get home late to sink full of dishes, and work yourself into a headache? Maybe as you sit down on the couch to unwind and watch TV, you casually say, “this has been the worst day ever” with much frustration.
If you look back on your life and try to pick out the absolute worst day ever, what did it look like? Or thinking forward, could you describe what may be the worst day of your life?
I’ve had some downright bad days and I’m sure there are some hardships to come in my future. I also have family, friends, and acquaintances who have been burdened with unfair losses and hardships that I would never wish upon anyone. We have all had some days that we could call the worst day ever.
But over the weekend when a Vietnam veteran, who I presumed was in his mid-70s, quietly depicted a bloody battle he was thrown into, my perspective was changed in a big way. He fought in the Battle of Suoi Tre on March 21, 1967.
“We just about got overrun, not quite, five minutes later — we were fighting for four hours — a mechanized unit came in and bailed us out. They saved us,” he said.
He vaguely recalled the loss numbers. According to the National 4th Infantry Division Association, our American soldiers were outnumbered 10 to 1 by the enemy, but by the grace of God, they declared victory in this battle. Over 650 enemy soldiers were killed in the Battle of Suoi Tre at the high cost of 51 Americans and over 200 wounded warriors.
“I guess that was the worst day of my life,” he recalled after a long pause.
The humble veteran failed to mention he received a Silver Star for his role in that battle. It wasn’t until his friend said it for him that he revealed how he felt called to be there.
“Everybody did what they were supposed to do. Some of us just got rewarded more than other people. A lot of other people should have had awards also… the ones that didn’t make it,” he solemnly said.
He had a next-door neighbor he grew up with who didn’t survive their service in Vietnam. He was the same age and the two had gone to school together. This veteran actually filled his role as a radio operator after he was lost at battle.
One day over fifty years ago still vividly replays in his head. It was easily the worst day of his life, but it’s a difficult one to discuss. It was a day few of us could ever imagine witnessing.
Hearing him recount his worst day ever sure made me think long and hard about the sacrifice these men and women make for us. They put their lives on the line each day, become accustomed to being scared for their life, see the unthinkable and all the while remain brave enough to carry on and do it all with a humble heart.
And they do it for us as we sit back in the luxury of our corner office punching the clock from 8 to 5 or go out and work in the peaceful, wide open spaces of the ranch, always returning home to our comfortable houses and loving families. It’s unfathomable really. I don’t know that words could ever express the level of gratitude we should feel for these brave men and women who serve our country. At the very least, we can take a moment of time to really think about the blessings we have here in America and the freedoms we enjoy — those didn’t come to us at no cost but many of us are fortunate enough to not be the ones to pay that cost. Other people much braver than I have paid it for me. And that is a service that should be highly honored, not just on Veterans’ Day, but every day. Take time to appreciate them, thank them for their service, and pray for their continued safety.