Where I work in Connecticut, Back in 2007 I have met a Marine Patrick Brill who had served in Vietnam in the late 60's. I had shown him the web page I had created and on the site I had put a link to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Page where I showed him that you can look up any casualty of Vietnam, see when and where they were killed and where they are on The Wall.
He had asked me to look up Pfc Albert Erskine, this was a fellow Marine he had went through Boot camp with and eventually served in Nam with. On 21 February 69 while in Vietnam, they had drawn straws to see who would go to a line Company. Patrick had drawn the shortest straw but Albert offered to take his place and go to the line Company. Five days later Pfc Albert Erskine was killed in Quang Nam by small arms fire.
For 38 years Patrick has been feeling a heavy burden of guilt, feeling he was responsible for the death of his friend. He asked me to print out the info off the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site for Albert that I had shown him from my Blackjack phone, which I was pleased to do for him and I told him I do everything I can for our veterans. I not only printed out the info but arranged it on a 8 ½ x 11 piece of cardstock to be framed.
With this printout I gave him other info I found on Albert's info page such as comments posted by people to include one listed by a buddy from NY who had put in his address and email. Through this info, Patrick had been put in contact with Albert's father, and Patrick had drove to NY to meet. Patrick had told me his father was a very nice man and he told him he was sorry and expressed how he felt for the past 38 years. Alberts father had assured him it was not his fault.
In February 2010 after following the link on the Veterans Memorial page, I had told Patrick about Memorial Bracelets and that you can get anyone that was on the wall on a bracelet, I thought he would want one with Albert Erskine on it for the sacrifice he had made, and I was right, Pat asked me to get him one. One day after working 1st shift, I went to the Post office to check my mail and found it had arrived. With Patrick on 3rd shift and I wanted to get this to him right away, I waited until 9 pm I went to work to give it to him. He was very pleased with the bracelet and after reading it he put it on and said, "You know, your not supposed to take these off once you put them on." I'm sure whether your supposed to or not, I don't think he would ever take the bracelet off. This is why I have purchased a bracelet and I am very pleased with the quality of it. Thank You.
DTorvinen
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