doyler Posted December 25, 2015 Share #1 Posted December 25, 2015 At this time of year when things quiet down my thoughts always shift to an experiance I had.I often think of how people at this time of year are opening packages and then being disappointed in what they did or did not recieve.Plotting already to return the item instead of accepting the gift for what it is or the thought that went into it.... The Footlocker..The Christmas that never was. I once owned a medal group before returning to the brother of a KIA from Viet Nam.The mother gave me a few items and a few uniform articles as well as things from her first husband a B17 pilot.He was killed in an airplane accident in 1960-61.The first son was killed in Viet Nam in January of 1968 as a combat medic with the 506th/101st Airborne. He deployed to Viet Nam in December of 67 and was killed on a combat operation in January of 68.Less than 5 weeks in country as I recall.The second son went to Viet Nam in 70-71 and came home.The third son was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1971.This lady had lost most of her family in a 10 year time frame.The second son never wanted anything to do with any of the items.The son who was KIA was awarded the silver Star and the Purple Heart along with various Vietnamese awards. Several years later the mother offered me the items when I was approched by her to help her move.This is where I learned the story as I listened to what she said.It was still very painful for her.She said no one is inirested and there isnt anyone who cares. I kept in contact with her.She was fire ball.Quick witted and sharp as a tack but very to the point.A classy lady. Then one sumer her only remaining son came to visit and inquired about the medals.She stated she had given them to me.I happened to live right next door.She called and left a message and said she felt terrible about asking for them back.I came home heard the message and went right next door to see her.I told her they were not mine and she explained her son was now intrested and would I be willing to talk with him.He was out running errands and I told her to send him over when he returned.He stopped by an hour later and I showed him what I had done with the medals.The typical things were discussed.I politely mentioned if he was just going to sell them I would purchase them as I had displayed these here and in the area for a few years.He really didnt want them but had a daughter who never knew his brother...her uncle.I told him I would like to return the.Im a care taker and they are not mine and do belong to the family.He offered to pay me for the frame and engraving I had done but I declined.I told him I had a few of his brothers uniform items and he wasnt intrested in those.He also stated "mom had some other things" and wants you to look them over and take what ever you want.Just stop over. I waited a couple days as we kept missing each other.She saw me in the yard changing oil in the Harley and said "honey come over and that damn thing will hurt you"...lol. I still smile thinking of that day.So I finnished up and we went to the storage room and three of the foot lockers were stacked up there where I had moved them in for her a couple years earlier.There were lots of papers and some old family photos etc in them.She said anything you want,take it, my son went through it already.There was a set of WW2 medals to the father in one trunk under some old hunting clothes and she said those are yours for returning the others.I said the son should have his dads medals and she said there were two sets and these were extras.Then we got to "Johnnys" foot locker.It was a strange and sureal experiance.As soon as I opened the foot locker the hair went up on the back of my neck.I felt a cool air come over me.A slight chill. First thing I saw was two small boxes wrapped in Christmas paper.THese were sitting on top of stacks of newspapers and funeral cards that were from the time of his death.Letters from the military,sympathy cards from others who cared for her son and then she told me of the hate mail she recieved after he was killed saying he deserved to die in a war that wasnt "right".I cant imagine her grief and anger as I was boiling at this hearing it as she had told me the story on a couple other occasions. I picked up the two small boxes wrapped in christmas paper.THey had never been opened.THe tags read.."To Johnny...Love Mom and Dad..Merry Christmas".I was just frozen in place and time.Here were two boxes this man had never recievced and had never opened and remained sealed for three decades.The two small boxes appeared to be the type a writing pen and mechanical pencil set would come in and a wrist watch looked to be the size of the other small box.I set the small boxes aside and looked through other items scattered in the footlocker.I poured through newspapers and letters coming to one marked to his mother from Graves Registration US ARMY.In the envelope was a form.A property list of Johnnys belongings.On the list I noticed...One Pr.Jump Boots,two hunting knives,collar disc,US,one pair wings,one radio,one beret and on it went. Looking in the trunk obviously several things were mising and there were items his mother had given me previously that were listed.I started to replace things and she asked if I was going to take anything.I said I could use a copy of the news paper toreplace the one I gave to her other sone and a funeral card and if I could borrow the letter from the Army I would copy and return it.She said take it all if you want and kep the letter.I politely thanked her but declined.I replaced the two christmas gifts back in the trunk and closed the lid.i have never forgotten the footlocker or the feeling looking at the Christmas that never was and Johhny who never came marching home. A few years later the mother passed away and Im not aware what hapenned to the footlocker.I think of Jonny every Christmas even though I never knew him.Two small boxes wrapped in faded chritmas paper has imprinted his memnory in my mind for ever. Merry Christmas Johhny and Welcome home where ever you are. You are not forgotten. John Holger Wrisberg, III Specialist FourHHC, 2ND BN, 506TH INFANTRY, 101ST ABN DIV, USARVArmy of the United StatesMason City, IowaAugust 20, 1947 to January 16, 1968JOHN H WRISBERG III is on the Wall at Panel 34E, Line 61 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie digger Posted December 25, 2015 Share #2 Posted December 25, 2015 I am near speechless. That has to be one of the most moving stories I have ever read on here. Ron, what a great gesture keeping this young warriors memory alive. RIP SP4 Wrisburg. You are not forgotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathfinder505 Posted December 25, 2015 Share #3 Posted December 25, 2015 Thanks for sharing, Ron. Very moving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted December 25, 2015 Author Share #4 Posted December 25, 2015 Thanks Mate. Im going out side to stand intha dark for a few moment and look North east to where he rests.A flag in his honor was placed on the lake in CLear Lake Iowa where he was raised.His mother did this and fairly recently the town rebuilt the base.He was the first "LAKER" KIA in Viet Nam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted December 25, 2015 Share #5 Posted December 25, 2015 Thank you for sharing that story, Doyler. Bobgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted December 25, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted December 25, 2015 Thanks for sharing, Ron. Very moving. Thanks Robert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted December 25, 2015 Author Share #7 Posted December 25, 2015 Thank you for sharing that story, Doyler. Bobgee Bob Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldabewla Posted December 25, 2015 Share #8 Posted December 25, 2015 Cool story Ron, thanks for sharing ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted December 25, 2015 Author Share #9 Posted December 25, 2015 Cool story Ron, thanks for sharing ! Thanks Craig. I have mentioned him to you in the past.Just time to have him remembered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry K. Posted December 25, 2015 Share #10 Posted December 25, 2015 Very moving story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarbridge Posted December 25, 2015 Share #11 Posted December 25, 2015 Thanks Ron...a story of promises never to be fulfilled. ...he is not forgotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted December 25, 2015 Author Share #12 Posted December 25, 2015 Cool story Ron, thanks for sharing ! Craig When we are at the antique show on the Lake we are only yards fron Johhnys Flag memorial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted December 25, 2015 Author Share #13 Posted December 25, 2015 Very moving story Thanks Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted December 25, 2015 Author Share #14 Posted December 25, 2015 Thanks Ron...a story of promises never not to be fulfilled. ...he is not forgotten. Thanks Robert. Everyone who reads this is paying tribute and remeberance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Bast Posted December 25, 2015 Share #15 Posted December 25, 2015 Thanks for keeping Johnny's memory alive, Ron. A truly moving, poignant and heartbreaking story, but I appreciate you sharing it with us. You were a wonderful person to be so kind and generous to the family over the years. During the holidays, I give more pause and reflect on those service men and women who, like Johnny, didn't get the chance to make it home for for Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted December 25, 2015 Author Share #16 Posted December 25, 2015 Thanks for keeping Johnny's memory alive, Ron. A truly moving, poignant and heartbreaking story, but I appreciate you sharing it with us. You were a wonderful person to be so kind and generous to the family over the years. During the holidays, I give more pause and reflect on those service men and women who, like Johnny, didn't get the chance to make it home for for Christmas. Thanks Chief. Yes.I find myself doing the same.More so at Christmas..those who are forever young.Never to see another Christmas or the sun rising in the east Figured it was time to share Johnnys story.Spmething I have wanted to do for years. I left out some of it to keep it on track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted December 25, 2015 Author Share #17 Posted December 25, 2015 Johhnys group as I had assembled it into a display of the non-uniform items. Sorry for the poor photo but this is a picture of a picture.The display was "pre digital" days.THe Purple Heart and Silver Star were minitures I purchased as his mother had the originals and I told her I didnt feel right taking them for display.His originals were engraved and were WW2 era blue boxed full size medals.She also had both his citations. Sometime in the future I plan to rebuild a tribute display.I have all the medals and papers and things but have put the project on the "to do list" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Cub Posted December 25, 2015 Share #18 Posted December 25, 2015 That's quite a story. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchcollector Posted December 25, 2015 Share #19 Posted December 25, 2015 Great story.How often we forget that there are people behind the names and stats.People who gave their lives for a cause that they may or may not have believed in.It doesn't matter.What matters is that they gave all they had to give when asked.The least we can do is to remember them from time to time.Thanks Ron for sharing this story and for keeping this Fallen Soldiers' memory alive. "Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them." George Eliot.(Pen name for Mary Ann Evans) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stealthytyler Posted December 25, 2015 Share #20 Posted December 25, 2015 How sad. Very well written btw. Thank you for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etienne Posted December 25, 2015 Share #21 Posted December 25, 2015 Hello Doyler, you did something good keeping the memory of this young man ... you being selfless and keeping the track of who he was probably helped his poor mother to survive the loss of so many of the men around her. You know, losing a son is undoubtly the hardest thing that can happen to a mother or father ... it's like a deep wound that never completely heals and she had two. E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
268th C.A. Posted December 25, 2015 Share #22 Posted December 25, 2015 Thanks for sharing Ron, if that doesnt tug at your heart strings. Amazing story....God Bless. "Merry Christmas" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirk Posted December 25, 2015 Share #23 Posted December 25, 2015 Just read this on Christmas morning.....very moving and thought provoking....thank you very much for sharing this tribute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted December 26, 2015 Author Share #24 Posted December 26, 2015 Thank you all for reading and commenting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdk0911 Posted December 26, 2015 Share #25 Posted December 26, 2015 Awesome story and very awesome you helped this lady and the family - well done!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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