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Thread: Vet returns home after 47 years........

  1. 11-09-2014, 05:01 PM #1
    hunter63
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    Default Vet returns home after 47 years........

    "After 47 years, Staff Sgt. James Lee VanBendegom is coming home to Kenosha Sunday."

    Locally this is and has been a big deal for a long, long time.....47 years
    http://www.kenoshanews.com/news/

    DW went to school with him and knew him well.....I met him back when as well.

    Just in time for Veterans Day.

    I can't think of a better way to say thanks....

    "The Kenosha soldier was wounded on July 12, 1967, when his unit, B Company, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, was ambushed by the North Vietnamese near the Cambodian border. It wasn’t until last month that his remains were identified."


    His old unit....B Company, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment...still exists, and members not deployed in Afghanistan at the moment, will be on hand to welcome him home.

    Thank a Vet......
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
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  2. 11-09-2014, 07:29 PM #2
    randyt
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    God Bless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?
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  3. 11-09-2014, 08:40 PM #3
    crashdive123
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    Hope this brings closure to his family - may he RIP.
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  4. 11-09-2014, 08:53 PM #4
    hunter63
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    His mother and brothers are still alive and will be there, sadly his father passed a few years ago......
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
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  5. 11-09-2014, 09:15 PM #5
    BornthatWay
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    Rest in Peace .
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  6. 11-09-2014, 09:49 PM #6
    Tokwan
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    Salute a hero and Vet. Welcome back Home!
    I'm a Gramp who is not computer savvy, give me a slab and the rock ages tablet..I will do fine!
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  7. 11-09-2014, 11:07 PM #7
    Williepete
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    Bless them all. It's amazing that they can id people after so many years. It must be a very long process, but very worth while to give closure to the families.

    Bill
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  8. 11-10-2014, 02:15 AM #8
    natertot
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    He has returned and I hope the peace and closure return to all.
    ”There's nothing glorious in dying. Anyone can do it.” ~Johnny Rotten
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  9. 11-10-2014, 05:08 AM #9
    Winnie
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    A long time coming, home at last.
    Recession; A period when you go without something your Grandparents never heard of.
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  10. 11-10-2014, 10:41 AM #10
    Old GI
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    Present Arms!
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  11. 11-10-2014, 12:32 PM #11
    DomC
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    Hand salute! May he rest in peace on his home soil...

    DomC

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  12. 11-10-2014, 12:43 PM #12
    hayshaker
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    at least he made it home many did not at least now the family can have closure.lost my cousin there 18yrsold 1st day of TET
    in DANANG. no more vietnam,s
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  13. 11-10-2014, 03:10 PM #13
    Rick
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    JPAC has a pretty horrible reputation for repatriating MIAs. There are 83,000 American servicemen still MIA. Sadly, many are not missing but misplaced.
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  14. 11-10-2014, 03:23 PM #14
    hayshaker
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    i know the place it,s over at Kewalo basin they do thier best i,m sure under the circumstances.
    but i do understand your point rick. who wants some 70,yr old mamasan sent home and then told that,s your boy.
    believe me i did not sat that with any sense oh humor because it,s not funny. no one gets left behind period the sad reality
    is thats not always possible. how many men were buried in tunnels for no more reason than to deny us our tradition of bringing everyone home.
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  15. 11-10-2014, 03:52 PM #15
    OldFlJarhead
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    Welcome home, soldier. May you rest easy and your family find solace. Rest in Peace....we'll all be along later.
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  16. 11-10-2014, 05:33 PM #16
    hunter63
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    Our city is the biggest "small town" I know of.....just under 100K
    I arrived here in 1966, when the draft and Vietnam was the in the news.
    Lost a few friends form my home town....but they were returned home back then.

    This was the first MIA I think I had ever knew about....and was very moving to see a whole city grieve, and feel the utter loss of not knowing.

    After all these years including MIA news and false possibilities.............
    The whole city feels........"Jimmy's Home"
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
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