PFC KELLY WAYNE WEITZEL

William Weitzel
harry338@worldnet.att.net
oldest brother
8948 Lakeview Road
Lakeside,CA 92040 USA
To My Youngest Brother
This story is not too much different than from most all other stories involving armed conflict. A nation provides the machines, equipment, and resources to carry out that nations will. The families of those nations give forward their young men and women in the caldron of war to carry out that will. They are put into violent, savage, evil, cruel, and grizzly actions that would cause a normal person walking down a home town street, to feel faint and purge and scream no. With a mouth having no spit, eyes wide - jumping to any movement, a supersensitive noting of change in the wind or sound, and direction, their hearts in their throats, knowing that in any split second that all they care about and love, their very being could be gone in any given instant. They are asked to continue against a nations taught home town morality, to provide the instrument of enforcement of their nations will and perform it in honor of home country. For those fallen, we give an elaborate ceremony and present the families crying mothers with a neatly folded flag and say he was a hero and the nation greatly appreciates his and their sacrifice. Those who have returned have also given extreme sacrifices and bear a never ending grief, and are too heroes to the nation. For they faced the fields of battle to defend our nations freedom so none of us back home would not have to bear those griefs, and are proud heroes too. Our nation needs to show respect and extreme graditute for their valor, they have been asked to do and carry out the necessity of the country's will against everythings they had been previously taught to respect, cherish, and the very laws of God, they will be carrying there burdens for the rest of their lives. Kelly was the youngest of three brothers, Jimmy was one year older, and I was about four years older than them. After both younger brothers graduated from high school, Kelly attended Grossmont Junior College for about a year, not really knowing what he wanted to do as a profession. Jimmy spent that year into the construction business. About that time Jimmy received his draft notice for the Marine Corps. For reasons I am not exactly sure of Kelly decided to volunteer to be there together with Jimmy in the Corps. I had moved away from home and was working in a defense facility and was nearly complete with college, ( about four years away from home and working myself though college ). They did their basic training together at MCRD, San Diego, CA. The next time I saw them was at a family dinner. They both had the shaved heads and proudly strutting about in their new uniforms. Kelly was a little late and said he had to drive fast to get home for this dinner. I can clearly remember what mom said to him about speeding "You shouldn't be speeding", Kelly's reply was, "Mom what are they going to do to me shave my head and send me to Veit Nam". At that time it seemed sort of break the tension of reality funny. As it turned out, Kelly was trained in driving heavy trucks and Jimmy was trained to be a grunt. They kidded each other about that, Kelly would say "I am up high and dry driving my truck, and you are down on the cold, wet, ground, with all the bugs and snakes". They were both there- carrying out their duties, and doing as young men do. Once Jimmy got nicked in the shoulder from a bullet from one of his patrols. And most likely to attempt to calm some fear, and to show off to Kelly found Kelly's unit to say "You should get out of your truck and enjoy some of the action I get". That may seem bazaar to most of us, but brothers can be that way. When the call came home, we found it was Kelly, and not the one we most worried about. They had quite different attitudes towards the people of that country. Kelly liked them and always tried to help them. I have a deeper appreciation and graditude for all the brave men who came to answer the call and the freedoms will maintain because of them. It would be hoped that all those that read this will too maintain and show there appreciation to all those brave men who have provided us with the freedom we enjoy every day of our lives. God Bless America and to the men putting them self on the line for it. Harry - Kelly's oldest brother,
Friday, January 14, 2000