Amazing who you can meet as former vet

Yesterday we were standing waiting on a table in line at diner. Was wearing my tan ball cap with 325th PIR flash, And this dude and his wife were standing in line with us he stuck out his hand and said hey white falcon as he looked at me and he knew 2/325 by reading the unit flash on my ball cap with the shield and the two blues through the shield on unit flash.

Here this fellow brother is former 508th retired officer, he did not retire 508th but that was his first infantry command as 2nd lieutenant 508th Red Devils . So here I am in line with a brother from the tribe 82nd Eighty deuce is on the loose or my favorite 82nd S.T.D.’s from the sky.

The owner came to seat us I think I saw relief in her eyes as I only had our sons today , Times we go in with my boys and their friends she starts barking orders to her daughters in Lebanese don’t know what she is saying probably keep the chicken and mashed potatoes stocked we have teenagers.

I told her table for five as I now have to eat with my brother airborne and his wife. We sat down and after I introduced our sons then the boys head to buffet to pillage the fried chicken and mashed potatoes and gravy yes as the boys were heading out I reminded them I better see veggies on your plates I know always a parent. I warned mr and Mrs red devil to watch their fingers when my guys eat.

In talking I told them we we’re fishing the ponds turns out Mr 508th is a avid angler as well I told him and wife ,Boys cleaned up on bass. But my spinning reel broke and I usually carry spares but I did not have a spare today. So dad has adapted and overcome, I stopped bait fishing tackle shop and bought same reel daiwa 1300 ss tournament. And am mailing the broke reel back to daiwa for repairs reel is probably 30 years old. We have a lot of reels but that line of daiwa ss is my go to that is why I bought exact same reel yesterday only 30 year’s newer.

They are new to this area and I explained we have many options to fish. Limestone trout streams several lakes to orchard ponds to two different rivers,Several productive streams. bass large and small mouth channel cats muskies pickerels pan fish. We exchanged cell numbers.

So today I’m picking up the red devil and the boys and we’re gonna hit it. Gonna wade off base of this low dam about 70 feet off , fish off the island stand in stream or sit on the rocks and we cast in. I said it’s about 1000 feet long 12 foot high the dam on local stream it’s a productive spot because of the dam fish gather at its base.

I told him uniform of the day I usually wear these nylon gym sweats I cut off dark t shirt and sandals Ozark trail closed toes as they take a beating and it’s warm out I said dammit we dress for success LT didn’t you learn that in OIBC at benning ,he actually retired as a lite colonel , you will not need chest waders.

I told him jokingly we travel light, one son carry’s a rucksack with bottled water and sandwiches. And I carry one with our gear lures live bait hooks you name it we probably have it.