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Chapter 35
Moving On
My orders had me reporting to H & S Co., Quantico, Va. Marine Base 45 days later—this included leave and travel time the Marines provide for a ‘change of duty station’. I landed at LAX and made my way thru the concourse to my next flight to Washington D.C. where I had planned to meet Kay—it was the closest National Airport for Kay to reach from Bramwell, W. Va. —Kay had flown from the Bluefield Airport to Washington and rented a new Chevy Montecarlo for us to drive home. My walk thru LAX was wonderful—the people, the smells, the sounds—America! Although I was in uniform I had no comments made to me one way or another and that was fine with me—I didn’t expect to be ‘greeted’ by anyone. I never saw anyone ‘spit’ on a soldier or a Marine like so many said they experienced. If someone had spit on me they would’ve had a broken nose shortly thereafter.
Upon landing in Washington I deplaned and met Kay as she was waiting in a crowd of people greeting their loved ones. I spotted her right away— She looked beautiful and we both had tears in our eyes as we embraced in front of God and everybody! We didn’t say anything for several minutes —we just held onto each other—the best feeling in the world! Although she didn’t say so—I’m
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