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Hall of Famer [22127]
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The Swan
Aug 5, 2020, 5:11 PM
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This may be a re-run and, if so, my apologies.
I never cease to be amazed at how one's mind can function, either from a positive or negative standpoint. Recently, I was leafing through a magazine and saw a photo of a beautiful swan. WHAM !!!. My mind flashed back to early September of 1951. About 20 men of the 205th Signal Repair Company were sent back to the 38th Parallel. The Chinese Army was across the border but as far as any actual hostilities, everything was relatively quiet.
It was a beautiful day but I suppose I was a bit homesick and decided to take a short walk down one of the dirt roads. Up until this point, we seldom ventured out of our compound. I was going alone and being on the safe side, decided to take my M-1 along for company. Just a short way from our compound was a small pond and sitting majestically in the middle of the pond was a beautiful swan. During the early part of the war in 1950, a fierce battle had taken place in this area. Virtually every house and building in this area had been totally destroyed or severely damaged. The North Korean Army had killed or taken most of the animals. How and why the swan was not among the animals killed or taken was a bit puzzling.
Just standing there admiring that beautiful swan gave me a feeling of peace I had never experienced. Seeing that beautiful graceful swan sitting majestically in that pond amid all the ruins of war seemed so out of place. It was a scene of peace and tranquility amid the horrors and devastation of war.
Maybe t hat was an omen. Just a few days later I was told to pack my gear, I would be leaving for home the next morning.
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CU Medallion [67711]
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Re: The Swan
Aug 5, 2020, 5:21 PM
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They are really something but I've been told they get along very well with other birds including other swans
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Scout Team [157]
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Re: The Swan
Aug 5, 2020, 5:22 PM
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Beautiful Joe, thank you for sharing.
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All-In [27366]
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Re: The Swan
Aug 5, 2020, 5:28 PM
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Great story. That was likely a Whistling Swan. Especially if it was a winter month. Most are white and they also live in America . Beautiful birds. The most graceful of animals, I think
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110%er [5035]
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Re: The Swan
Aug 5, 2020, 5:28 PM
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Thanks for sharing Joe. My father-in-law served in the Marines in WWII and Korea. He didn't like saying much about either, so I always suspected he was in some serious stuff. Glad you got back as well.
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CU Medallion [65034]
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Nature always tries to renew itself, regardless of the
Aug 5, 2020, 7:43 PM
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wounds inflicted on it by Man. We should literally Thank God that this is the case. 
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Orange Blooded [3371]
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Re: The Swan
Aug 5, 2020, 8:21 PM
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Thank you Joe, my dad served in Korea. Like many other men from that era he didn't talk about his time there. But I have thought many times I wished I had asked him about it more. Sadly he is gone now as are his brothers and sisters so I am left to my thoughts instead of memories.
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110%er [6104]
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Re: The Swan
Aug 5, 2020, 10:29 PM
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Beautiful memory and so grateful you shared it! My dad served in WW2 and Korea. I so wish I knew stories like yours that he must have experienced. He never ever spoke about the war. We knew he had a deep scar on his abdomen from a gunshot but not one word from him was ever spoken about it. He had more courage than I could ever hope for and your stories help remind us all how great your generation really was. Keep sharing. We need reminders of America’s great heroes.
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