A Time to Remember Part 1

Posted on December 20, 2013 by James R. Yarbrough

Wanda Roach

I remember writing a letter to my brother telling him about Otis Redding‘s death. Shortly afterward, January 24, 1968, Carthell McHenry was killed in Viet Nam, Dr. M. L. King was assassinated April 4, 1968, and Robert Kennedy in June of ’68. Those were trying times.

James R. Yarbrough

Yes, I lived those days up close and personal. I was in the Air Force and stationed at Andrews AFB just outside Washington D.C. The base is known as the presidential base. Air Force One and the President’s other air transports are based there. Carthell was my classmate at Lafayette and we, through fate, were stationed near each other in the military. He and I would get together when we could. He was stationed in DC at the Marine’s honor barracks. He was an honor guard and never would have been assigned to Viet Nam. When he told me that he was going to volunteer to go I all but pleaded with him not to.

He was determined, for reasons only he would know for sure; though, I believe it to have its roots somehow in his childhood. Fate has two hands. I left on leave and when I returned he was already in Viet Nam. As I remember, he was only there for a day or two before he was killed. I am going to post my account of those days, on FB, and make sure to share to the Lafayette page. This I will do today. Thanks so very much for your comments, they brought back memories of days I will never forget. They are engraved in my memory.

Peace

Category: How You Think

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What I write is inspired by the Creator. It is a natural process, not forced or coerced. It is written as it flows into my mind, and my life experiences and observations of the wonders of nature are the foundation for my insight. I am on a mission to let how I think be a voice that has not been heard. What I write and say is what I believe. My life has been a road well traveled. There have been freeways, side streets and dead ends. I have been cautioned, sped up and slowed down. I have changed lanes, merged with traffic and yielded to the right of way. I have been first at four way stops and the last to leave. I have driven through heavy rain, sunny days, and dark nights. It is after the darkest of them all, that I came to an intersection. I could pray on or move on. I now move with the traffic. I speed up when I can slow down when I should and pass when I must. Though, I am not in a hurry for life to me is not a race. We get to the end of the road soon enough. I made a decision to stay on the road of life. To take the off ramp is a thing I did not want to do. I know there is more to say than what has been said. What I have to say is not academic; I simply look at life in a way you may never have. It is how I see the world.