Jump to content

The reason I stand


PhatMack19

Recommended Posts

Is for men like this.  My thanks will never be enough to show my gratitude for those that fought for my country.

 

 

This is the hidden content, please

Quote:

An 83-year-old retired Marine kept a promise he made to a fellow officer while they were hunkered down in a bunker during the Vietnam War.



Retired Marine Master Sgt. William H. Cox and Retired Marine First Sgt. James 'Hollie' Hollingsworth were shielding themselves from rockets and mortars in 1968 as they were fighting in the Marble Mountains during the war on New Year's Eve. 



The two men, who were strangers to each other, had decided if they made it out of the bunker and survived the war, they would contact each other every New Year's Eve. 



For the next five decades they kept that promise - every New Year's Eve they would catch up life's happenings. 



Earlier this year, Cox traveled from Piedmont, South Carolina to see Hollingsworth in Hephzibah, Georgia. 



The 83-year-old made the trip so that he could say goodbye to his dear friend who was dying. 

This is the hidden content, please

Quote:

While visiting, Hollingsworth asked his buddy to make him one last promise. 



He asked him to stand guard over his casket and deliver the eulogy at his funeral, to which Cox accepted.  



'I said, "Boy, that's a rough mission you're assigning me to there,"' Cox told Greenvilleonline.com. 



Cox, who served in the Marine helicopter squadron VMO-2 with Hollingsworth, made sure to keep his final promise when the time came and it did. 

Quote:

Closing the eulogy, Cox repeated a phrase he would tell his friend during their missions: 'Hollie, you keep 'em flying, and I'll keep 'em firing.'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Member Statistics

    45,289
    Total Members
    1,837
    Most Online
    Kourt1
    Newest Member
    Kourt1
    Joined
×
×
  • Create New...