An Email

Today I received this wonderful email from one of dads marine brothers named Bill. I am slowly seeing the bond these brave men have with one another. It is so heartwarming to see my father had such great friends and how he was admired by so many. This is exactly the material I want to keep publishing. Memories from people like you. Please share with me and keep them coming

Two weeks ago, Richard Croteau, one of my Marine Corps Brothers passed away.

 Last year, I got together in Florida with another old Marine Buddy, Tom ****, we had all served together.

     Croteau was living in Sebring Florida and he was dying. Tom and I met at Croteau’s house in Sebring about 2 ½ hours away. We sat with him for about five hours and told stories and laughed. We were no longer old men, we were once again young 19 year old Marines. It was great! Croteau told us the Doctors had given him 4 months to live and it had already been 7. Dick was dying as a result of exposure to Agent Orange in Viet Nam. I told him that we were having another Platoon 290 Reunion the following August and if he was still alive I would get him up to Quantico to see all the guys once again. He told me he’d “hack it” as long as he could and do his best to make our Reunion. He was excited.

As I drove home I understood that I’d never see Dick again. He was in a lot of pain and his time was near. He NEVER ONCE COMPLAINED. He was taking his condition like a Marine, as we were all trained to do. He would do his best quietly, until the end. Dick never made our Reunion. By the time the date came he was in hospice care and although he still wanted to try to come the doctors would not permit it. Dick passed away this past October.

     This morning I received an email from his Daughter. She has a website richardcroteau. Go on it and read how Viet Nam affected her life.

     As I sit here writing this, I wonder how many other children and Families that horrible time in our history, has affected.