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When I returned from Korea in
April of 1954 a small band greeted our ship as it docked in Seattle. I don't
know who organized that greeting. However, I don't recall any special greeting
from friends and acquaintances in my home town. Some might have said
welcome home but if someone would have made a big deal out of thanking me
I surely would remember it. However, it was not a issue with me. I was just
happy to have survived and returned
home.
My mustering out pay was somewhere around $800+. It was the first time in my life that I saw a one-hundred dollar bill and they handed me eight of them. Then the State of Washington gave me a Veteran's Bonus of $200. In total, that was over three months pay at the job I left behind when I went into the Army in 1952. I am grateful that the GI Bill allowed me to obtain a college education. I could not have done it solely with my own finances. I had a pregnant wife and one child when I started engineering school at Washington State in 1956. Four and one-half years later I had a BS degree in Civil Engineering, a wife and four children - the winters are very cold in Pullman, Washington. I bought my first house in 1961 with GI Bill backing for $50 down and a 25 year mortgage at 5%. In summary, there was no ticker parades for returning Korean Veterans but I don't think we were ignored. I think my fellow citizens were grateful and rewarded us (via their elected representatives) with generous benefits available only to military veterans of the Korean War. How many of you used mustering out pay to get a new start in civilian life, purchase a home on the GI Bill, or obtain training on the GI Bill? Stay safe,
buddy.
J. Charles Cheek (John) Author of "Stay Safe, Buddy" A Novel about Humor & Horror during the Korean War www.authorsden.com/jcharlescheek On Tue, 29 Jul 2003 18:56:09 -0700 (PDT) Mike Davino <mdavino@yahoo.com> writes: > I lived in Puyallup for about a year when I was > stationed at Fort Lewis. It seemed like a nice place. > > Mike Davino > > > > > I can tell you with certainty that it happened in a > > restaurant in Puyallup > > Washington about 30 years ago along with getting the > > finger a few times. I know > > it happened, as I was the soldier it was directed > > at. I also may be a rarity > > as I have gotten superb care from the VA (Iowa City > > hospital) along with an > > offer for an all expense paid trip to Johns Hopkins > > for Gulf War syndrome > > tests. Congress and the various administrations may > > have been less than willing to > > fund the VA, but I can't knock the medical and > > support staff at the VA, they > > are first class people. > > Glen > > > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software > http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com > > > Stay safe,
buddy.
J. Charles Cheek (John) Author of "Stay Safe, Buddy" A Novel about Humor & Horror during the Korean War www.authorsden.com/jcharlescheek |