This is a moving tribute to combat veterans, ASWW. I'm particularly pleased that you focussed on them, as opposed to vets in general. Non-combat veterans like me know there's a Grand Canyon-sized difference between them and us, because of their unique experiences, points of view, and the assistance they need.

I learned that during years of quiet midwatches starting in June 1974. The war had formally ended for the U.S. eighteen months earlier. I was in an air traffic control unit. The Navy was back on a Cold War footing. But most of my petty officers had sailed with the Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club, or been attached to Marine units ashore as forward air controllers. They occasionally yarned in dry, understated tones about experiences which left us youngsters awestruck. Such as about something the bad guys knew: to avoid being rained on by napalm, they needed to pick off the guy with the backpack radio who could call in air strikes. The Marines protected them almost as much as their corpsman. Nonetheless, they were primary targets . (Fun fact: the Marines knew our guys weren't trained to shoot, so they issued 'em combat shotguns. But since they couldn't shoot straight, the grunts were reluctant to give 'em shells.)

Looks who's yarning now. The point is, ASWW, when Veterans Day comes around, us peace-time vets stand up to be counted. But we know that the ones who count most are the combat vets. Thank you for putting the spotlight on them.

Catherine La Grange, former petty officer 2nd, USN, 1974-78.