Rick Pitino recently took time out from a busy summer of recruiting to welcome U.S. troops returning home from action in Afghanistan, thanking them for their commitment and sacrifice.
A great move by the Louisville basketball coach that will be remembered by the soldiers for years. The photo on the U of L web site took the observer back a few decades ago to his days in Vietnam as a clerk in a place called Long Binh.
The most popular song in the Nam was “The Green, Green Grass of Home,” and the few diversions inc
luded volleyball and basketball during the week and sightseeing on Chuto Street in Saigon on the weekends.
Those were different times. Poor telephone service, you talked and then you listened, hoping fo
r an answer. There were two radio stations — the Armed Forces Network or the lady on Radio Hanoi. TV’s were rare and hard to find, and there were no cable networks. Letters from home were treasures.
Challenging times for a dedicated U of L fan during the football and basketball seasons. The observer would have been lost without the condensed sports sections the Courier-Journal sent to troops from Louisville. It consisted of two pages, front and back. Delivery was not always consistent, often several days late.
The doorway to the small cubicle serving as a room consisted of strings of bamboo beads. Hanging on one half wall was a 4 x 6-foot City of Louisville flag which Mayor Frank Burke had graciously sent. On the other half wall was a University of Louisville banner, courtesy of then-basketball-coach John Dromo. The remaining space included cards, letters and pictures.
Small things. But they meant a lot in place where one was rocked to sleep at night by the constant ripple of explosions. They kept one going, something for which to look forward, a better place.
Stay in touch with the troops.
Love the post Charlie. Thanks for sharing it and thank you for your service.
Even though there is secure internet now when deployed, nothing beats the treasure of a letter from home when you’re away serving.
AFN cable TV + internet + American Fast Food = not your grandfather’s war. One thing is constant: after months of separation, letters & packages of anything from home is almost enough to make a grown man cry.
I was lucky enough to watch the Arizona and MSU (well maybe not so lucky) NCAA Tourney games via the AFN Sports channel last year at all hours of the night before our missions. God bless satellites.
You do get around, hot hot.
Charlie, I had heard horror stories about how our troops were treated when they returned home from Vietnam. I had uncles that fought in the Korean conflict and they were really angry how the public treated the troops when they came home from Vietnam. It wasn’t the troops who wanted this war. It was the government at that time. Thank you for your military service. Regardless of why our troops are where they are, thank them for their service to this country. Don’t blame them for being somewhere even if you don’t agree with the reasons why they are deployed in harm’s way. Also, don’t forget the troops that were injured and the one’s who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Good advice, Ron. They go through hell for people who, as often as not, don’t appreciate why the troops are there.
Thanks Creighton.
Charlie, Thanks for serving our country and bring some Cardinal Spirit to Nam. GO USA AND CARDS!