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The following I have shared with my Det-6 shipmates, and thought that I would share with my Seawolf brothers.
During our trip out West, visiting states Janice and I had never visited, I had an unusual encounter, one I least expected. It happened on Oct. 2nd in the town of Wall, South Dakota. It was a rainy, cold, windy, low ceiling kind of day, when we set out to visit the Badlands, our destination, when we decided to visit Wall Drug store, known for its nickel cup of coffee before entering the Badlands. After enjoying a free cup of coffee and donut because I was wearing my Seawolf ball cap with the Vietnam campaign ribbon, Janice and I went our separate way exploring this sprawling drug store. Not long after we went our separate ways, I was in a room when a man entered and looked at me and simply said, "Binh Thuy?" Yes I replied, and his next question floored me. "did you know Joe Ramos?",. I paused a bit and said yes, that he was a door gunner and we flew together. The man, Glen Carlson, seemed stunned, and after a moment or two, told me that he and Joe were best friends in boot camp, and that they were both Master of Arms of their respective companies. Glen was in the brown water Navy in Vietnam at the time Joe was KIA, and told me that he had written a tribute to Joe some years back in his local newspaper, which he said he would find and share with us. He said that I could share his contact information with you, and would like any pictures of Joe that you may have. I had one picture only, taken I believe by Dave Speidel, of Joe and myself carrying rockets during a hot re-arm refuel at Ca Mau airstrip. I must admit it was a hard moment as it brought back memories. What was strange was that Glen and his wife had not planned to go to Wall that day, and he said he did not know why they ended up there. Maybe for the nickel coffee? Providence?
Best wishes to you all,
Robert "Bob" Goddard
Seawolf 67
Glen Carlson's email is: gc55@nwi.net
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