Monday, June 30, 2008

To Honor the Men and Women who Never Returned

I recently ordered a Memorial Bracelet from you.  You wanted to know my story.
 
I'm a Viet Nam era vet. I did my tour from 1973 to 1975, and I almost got sent to Viet Nam. My company had been ordered up, and we were waiting to board the plane that was going to take us over to the war. At the very, I mean very last moment, our orders were changed and we were sent to Germany instead. But for that fluke, I could have been that young man, 17 years old, who was sent to fight an unpopular war in a strange and foreign land. That young MIA could have been me.

When my wife and I were looking thru the rolls of the MIA's, we were looking for a young man, 17 or 18 years old, enlisted, from California. But there were so many names, so many young men and women, that when we found the young man we choose, we had to stop. It was so heartbreaking to look at all the young men who never came home.

I will wear this bracelet to honor all the men and women who served and who never returned.

Sincerely,

Edward

Friday, June 27, 2008

For my Friends Father

I ordered this Memorial bracelet as I have a very dear friend whom I met in high school. He is one of 3 children. During the relationship, I learned his Father was a Marine and was killed in 1967. His name was Sterling K Coates. I learned this wonderful man had his 2 sons, one only 3 at the time and a daughter he never saw.

Coming from a militay family, I respect and honor our troops and soldiers. I saw what impact it made on the family. Losing such a wonderful, young father. I also learned from his son that there is a book, operation Buffalo that was written about the particular manuevers that took his life.

I was searching for a bracelet, much like the ones they had for Viet Nam soldiers. You would wear a certain soldiers name on a bracelet and wear it until that soldiers made it home. They had POW bracelets etc. I came across this and thought, now that he has 2 sons of his own, he may like to have this to hand down to show his sons what a hero their Grandfather was.

I honor our soldiers and pray every day for their safe return. Without them, we would have no freedom. They are our true heros.

Teena

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

For my Boyfriend Mike

I was introduced to Capt Mike Nawrosky while he was assigned as aide de camp to the commandant of cadets at West Point. This job is traditionally offered to the most outstanding lieutenants. Mike then was promoted to Captain. An event we celebrated while he was at West Point. We dated exclusively until he left for Vietnam. We wrote to each other Mike was wounded and died as a result of those wounds at Walter Reed Hospital. His last letter came after he was buried at the USMA cemetery. He was awarded Posthumously the Silver Star. Mike's leadership qualities were proven on the battleflied. Even 40 years later, after being married to a wonderful man, having children and grandchildren, I feel so sorry that Mike never got to experience the joys in life. He should never be forgotten. Mike paid the ultimate sacrifice with his life. He had parents and sister and they are deceased now. So, he will live through friends lives that he touched while he was with us. God needed him more. He was always in my heart.
Those memories will be sweeter with the bracelet.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

In Memory of Marine Corps S/Sgt Richard E. Mishuk

I received the bracelet last week --- THANK-YOU,

The bracelet remembers Marine Corps S/Sgt Richard E. Mishuk who went MIA/POW on 19 October, 1966.

I wore "his bracelet" every day for nearly 20 years -- only taking it off to sleep and SCUBA dive. (I learned the hard way that sunlight filtering through salt water and then reflecting off these bracelets attract barracuda. Though they seem larger underwater, barracuda are aquatic creatures that are best avoided !!)

Mishuk was from Minnesota, my home state. Though I never met him, we were in the Corps at the same time. When I originally ordered a personal POW/MIA bracelet, I selected his name because of the many connections between us. (near-name, concurrent service in the Marine Corps, home-state.)

I spent 2007 working, as a civilian contractor, in the Marine Corps' headquarters in Fallujah, Iraq. Earlier this year I was med-evaced back to the States. A few personal items disappeared after I left and never caught up with me. My original bracelet was one of those items.

So, after finding your company information on the Internet, the bracelet you sent me is a replacement for one I wore -- and I'm very glad to have it back on my wrist. It's the only "jewelry" I wear.

Take care, and Semper Fi.....

Thomas

For my Friend Vinny

I think the Memorial Bracelet is absolutely a "first class" job! It's everything I'd hoped it would be and more.

I was searching the Web on Memorial Day and specifically looking for my friend Vinny Daiello who died in SVN on Dec. 20, 1968 almost 40 years ago. It's almost too incredible to believe. In searching I somehow, thank God, stumbled on your site and I will be forever grateful.

I was stationed in Dong Ba Thin, SVN from May 1968 to May 1969 with the 10th Combat Aviation Battalion, the Vagabonds of Vietnam. I knew my friend Vinny was there with an infantry unit, but had no clue as to specifically where he was located. Every week I would scan the MIA/KIA lists in Stars and Stripes. One day I see listed in the KIAs Sgt Vincent T. Daiello. Vinny's last name is not that common, so after the initial shock wore off I contacted a guy I knew who worked in Graves Registration" in Saigon. I told him about seeing Vinny's name and asked about being assigned a "body escort" to accompany Vinny's remains stateside. He told me that Stars and Stripes were so far behind listing names that my friend was most likely already home and buried. As it turned out he was 100% right. The family and friend at home had all decided it served no purpose telling me of Vinny's death and didn't intend on telling me until I returned home. I've been to the Vietnam Memorial several times and have etched Vinny's name. I also visited his gravesite with another close friend and Vinny's brother Joe Daiello in 1969. I am so proud to be wearing Sgt. Vincent T. Daiello's bracelet and do not intend on ever taking it off.

Thank you so much for the service you provide.

Best wishes,

Pete

Monday, June 23, 2008

For My Brother Killed in Viet Nam

My name is Carol. My brother Lcpl Michael P. Minehan was killed in Viet Nam.  I have been wearing a bracelet in memory for him since 1991. It was a birthday gift from a wonderful friend. In fact he bought one for all my family members as well.

I wear it everyday no matter what I am doing, working, golfing, beaching, my daughters wedding, my grandchildrens baptisms, 1st communions etc.  I am never without.  I have gone through 3 bracelets now.  My mom and dad gave me theirs when my original snapped in half. {Which I still have}

When this last one snapped I was very upset and sad. {As I said, I am never without}.  My boyfriend went on line and ordered this for me and what a GREAT surprise it was.

I absolutely love it and so do all my sisters.  I love the pray hands that my boyfriend had placed on it and the fact that it has the place where my brother is listed on the WALL.  What an honor to me that I had a brother who gave his life freely and joined the Marines to go to Viet Nam.

Thank you,

A very proud sister of a Wonderful - courageous selfless Marine

Carol

Sunday, June 22, 2008

To Pay Homage to our Brave Men and Women

I received my Memorial Bracelet and was pleased with its craftsmanship and more importantly what it represents.  I am on a mailing list which daily tells a story of a brave soldier courtesy of "Black Five" where I had the opportunity to purchase a bracelet to wear proudly and pay homage to our brave men and women who serve in harms way.  I also wear a bracelet from the Vietnam era Pictures from Sprint : honoring a close friend that I lost.  I have been wearing it faithfully for the past thirty years.

Respect & Gratitude
Louis

For a Solder who Passed on Memorial Day

Hello my name is Nikia.  The reason I ordered my Memorial Bracelet is because on Memorial Day of 2008, we had a soldier pass due to an accidental mischarge.  This soldier was a great person to ALWAYS have around.  Even if you were mad at him, you couldn't stay mad too long.  He was just a goofy type of person who meant no harm.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

To Honor My Friend Saul

I received my Active Duty Bracelet in the mail today to honor my friend Saul who is being deployed for his second tour of duty in Iraq.  I absolutely love my bracelet.  It is beautiful.  I am very proud to be wearing it to honor my very special friend.

The reason that I chose www. Memorial bracelets.com was because you had a wonderful selection to choose from and you had options to make it more personal.  That really impressed me. 

The first time that Saul was deployed I had ordered a bracelet from another company and was disappointed in the quality of it when it arrived, the edges were sharp and you could barely read his name unless you turned it in a certain light. That is not the case with this bracelet.  I will proudly wear this bracelet in honor of Saul and I will be very proud to tell anyone that asks where I ordered it from. Thank-you so much for filling my need.

God Bless You and All Of Our Troops,

Sincerely,

Michelle

To Remember My Fallen Brothers

I ordered my Memorial Bracelet because I have been a firefighter/EMT for 5 years now and would like to remember my fallen brothers.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

For Forest Jostes

Received the Memorial Bracelet today 19th June.  Looks great - can't wait to wear it.  Ordered because Forest Jostes was my grandson who I had not seen since he was 6 years old because of divorce.  Waited for someone to give a bracelet to me so ordered it myself.  Thanks for your service.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

To Always Remember Those who Die in the Name of Freedom

I was looking over the Memorial Bracelets site.  It is Wonderful.  I am still looking over names of policeman who lost there life on 9-11.  My father was a city of Atlanta policeman for 30 years.  He worked a hotel fire in 1948.  At that time, it was the worst hotel fire in history.  He told me about not being able to reach the people and seeing them jump from the building.  I am looking for a officer that was the same age as my father was when he worked the Winecofft hotel fire in Atlanta.  I remember him telling me about how the fireman and policeman worked around the clock for several days.  Keep up the good work. You are doing a great thing.

MAY WE ALWAYS REMEMBER THOSE WHO DIE IN THE NAME OF FREEDOM. WHETHER IT IS ON OUR HOME LAND OR AWAY.

MARY

Friday, June 13, 2008

For a Friend I Never Got to Meet

Sometime in the late eighties I took a friend to the VA hospital.  While I was waiting, a man had a computer printout of the POWs and MIAs.  As I looked through the pages, I passed by what I thought was last name Derringer.  I backed up to see what would be the first name of someone named after a gun.  I turned out to be Dillender, William Edward.  Then a chill hit me as I saw his D.O.B 10-06-51.  The same as mine.  

As I sit there I tried to think what I was doing when I was 19.  I thought about him often.  In the middle nineties when I got my computer I would go to Memorial Wall site a lot.  It took a while with a dial-up modem at 28K. So every year on my birthday I always celebrated it with William.  I don't know if he is my older friend or younger friend, perhaps I never will.  I just know he is my friend that I never got to meet.  I understand his remains were found and that he was sent home to his family.  I wanted to get a bracelet before his name was removed the list.  I will always wear it. And that's that.

Sunday, June 08, 2008

To Remind me of the Price of Freedom

I have been wearing the same bracelet since August,1971, with the exception of a 2 year period after the Vietnam War ended at which time I felt that I should continue wearing it as the servicemember was still listed as MIA and have done so to the present. Although I didn't serve personally, I do have a number of friends who served in 'Nam and my father died in 1970 of natural causes while on active duty with the Air Force.  Also, a friend was badly burned in the attack at the Pentagon on 9/11.  As my bracelet has now started to develop a split or crack, I have ordered a new one with the same name and intend to send the old one to the family.  At this point, I have been wearing one so long that it has become a part of me and look at it at least once a day to remind me of the price of freedom and to honor our veterans and their sacrifices that they never be forgotten.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

For a Fallen Solder

I love my Memorial Bracelet!  

When Matt Maupin's body was found in Iraq I just felt so touched by the whole story.  I had always thought that he would be coming home.  I followed that story for four years.  When we had word that he had actually died, I wanted to do something-anything to make a difference. When I was reading the online guestbook for his parents I saw that a lot of people had bracelets for him.  So I searched for a website that sold POW/KIA bracelets, and I found your website.  I saw that you also donated a portion of the money from each bracelet.  I feel that by ordering this Memorial Bracelet that I have started to do a small part for families that have lost very special people. 

God bless the troops and the people who made them who they are!!!

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

A Good Friend and Member of my Congregation

I remember clearly sitting in a pew Sunday morning and hearing the preacher announce the horrifying news… Frank Walkup IV was killed in Iraq.  This was Father’s Day 2007.  My mind reeled as I tried to process the news.  My friend - No, that’s not right - my good friend would not be coming home.  A small child would forever know her father as a photograph, and a young bride would only have the memories of her husband’s strong arms around her.

Frank was one of the very first people I taught karate to.   I remember him trying so very hard in class, wanting to get every move perfect.  His grin when he would nail a technique would light up the dojo.  When I close my eyes and think of Frank, I chose to remember this and not the handfuls of Middle Tennessee dirt thudding against the top of a casket and certainly not the protesters that felt his funeral a place to make their opinions on politics known.  You see, Frank Walkup was a person who had hopes, dreams, goals, and a life to live.  If we, the living, do not honor his sacrifice then he is wasted – and all human life is too precious to be wasted.