ninaprints.com
10-27-2026
Still Friends?
Does my name ever cross your mind? Over the years there have been people I’ve went to school, served in the military or have been acquainted with. At my age many of those people are no longer living. Others have simply gone on with their lives, jobs, families and their own circle of friends.
Now don’t get me wrong, there are some people I really don’t miss not having around or in my life – like my high school bully or the army buddy who tried to fight over socks or the co-worker that was really, really annoying.
The only high school buddy of mine who is still around is my dad’s younger brother Gary Wilson (we are the same age) and graduated Kuna High School class of ’67. We are and have been geographically separated since most of my family lives in Idaho while my clan lives in Colorado. My other two high school buddies (Jack Weaver and Chuck Swindell) have each passed on.
My military friends are a bit different due to the nature of our assignments. While on active duty we tended to stay in one place a year or two, then pick up and move to the next assignment. It’s only natural to compartmentalize people from previous assignments as you get to know those who are new to your current one.
What is strange is how military buddies just show up months or years later and it’s like time stood still. Take Don and Lek Way, for instance after leaving my first overseas assignment my wife and I were living with my folks when they just showed up. We had been gone from the military about 4 or 5 months, but talking about that assignment in Thailand brought everything back as if it was yesterday.
A few years after returning to active duty I got a phone call in the motor pool from another base. I got on the phone to find my former platoon leader, now Major Steve Koons (now a retired colonel) on the phone. It was a short call, but refreshing to hear from the guy who sent chairs and tables out to the village for our wedding back in 69.
Then the time when I was going to army recruiting school and during our lunch break I was racking up points on the old pinball machine when someone called out my name. I turned around and it was Everett. We only had a few minutes to talk before classes started but recounting our time in Thailand was like we had never left.
There have been so many others I’ve run across over the years, like Bo Aaron (another Thailand veteran) who began coming to a number of Thailand veteran’s reunions and we never tired of recounting the stories of those days gone by.
I’ve been visited multiple times by Panama veteran Dale Tolle and a visit Gary Helberg my old support platoons.
I’ve gotten a number of phone calls from several others but the best is face-to-face, neck hugging and retelling our stories over and over tirelessly.
For those who participated in the 20 year legacy of Thailand veteran reunions you guys made my day! We explored different city, state and local attractions, had fantastic banquet meals and never had quite enough time with each other.
Let me end with this notation: If you ever get to my neck of the woods (Colorado Springs, Colorado) – book a room, stay a couple of nights and call so we can come together and recount those stories of yesteryear and rekindle our friendship. Who knows we might even go back out to Dragonman’s military museum, the WWII Air Museum and eat at the Airplane Restaurant? – RTM
