Hey Gene,
Sorry it took so long to get back to you but, i've been quite busy,
I took a new job a few weeks ago and they have kept me pretty busy.
I tried retirement but it just didn't fit. I still go to the gym daily but it just wasn't enough.
You know Gene i've been re-thinking the memorial thing for the six that didn't come back from Ribbon Creek. Something you said left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm Sure you didn't mean it that way but when you said the six were left on the back burner because Sgt. Mckeon was still alive sorta made me feel a little guilty. You know one thing kept comming to the front of my mind over the years. I wonder What those six would say about the events leading up to their deaths if we could freeze time for 1 minute and get their comments. I would like to know if they thought Sgt. Mckeons actions were justified. Even if justice prevailed at his court martial. You know no matter how we feel about him the fact remains that six innocent recruits died. I to this day don't know if we were that, as a platoon, out of control or if it was just alcohol that got us into the swamp. I never thought that it was a general practice to take platoons into Ribbon Creek.I Thought than that was a fabrication and i still do. That would make it just a really bad decision on his part. A decision undoubtly made partly because of the alcohol.
What i'm leading to is, it seems a little to have a memorial. Let me know how you feel about this.
I still believe Sgt. Mckeon was one fine Marine. After talking to him shortly before his death i know how he felt about the whole thing.
William Poole
|
