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When I heard about
Ross Brown's passing I dug up this faded photograph of Ross, Walt
Chapman and I. It was taken in the late spring of 1967. At that moment
we were all early in our tours and I'm not sure what brought them to
Hill 55 but I think the 26th Marines were passing through on their way
to an operation. Fifty-five years later, In the blink of a one year,
those two are gone. Seeing that faded Ektachrome prompted me to write a
few words about the two of them.
Walt wasn't in my TBS platoon but he was one of those people that went out of his way to make me feel at home. I wasn't entirely happy when adjusting to my new life at TBS but Walt made me feel at home. A real gentleman, even at that age, and I won't forget his kindness toward me. |
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Ross and I knew
each other as PLCs at San DIego State. Right before graduation we
decided we would drive to TBS together in my 1959 red Corvette. The same
car whose removable hardtop, when discovered stored in my room, sent
Iron Mike Cox off the rails. We did not take a direct path to Quantico
but planned our route based on finding free TOQ lodging along the way.
We got to know a lot of Air Force bases. We drove to Treasure Island,
then Utah and up to Wyoming and points east along the upper midwest
taking a leisurely ten days to drive it.
I last saw Ross when I was on vacation in 1994 in the San Juan Islands. We were both real estate agents at the time and we spent a pleasant afternoon together. After that a few scattered emails. All the more reason we need a reunion soon. Semper Fi Ross and Walt.
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