An unexpected gift from a stranger today while out eating with my daughter.

While eating a meal with Katie in a restaurant in Rock Hill, a man paid for our meal today, with a thanks for my service to our country. I had my Vietnam Era Veteran ball cap sitting on the edge of the table. The man, who was near my age thank me twice for my service and shook my hand upon his leaving of the restaurant. He also welcomed me back home. I think he made have thought that I was actually in Vietnam. From 1970-1974, I was in the Navy and had to put up with all the hate directed at the war, and the military anytime I was off base and in uniform.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I was one of the many people who enter the military during the Vietnam War that didn't serve in Vietnam. To my knowledge, no nuclear power submarines provided support to the Vietnam War. Most of the subs were too busy following Russian submarines, that were tracking our carrier fleet.

I do have 10 years of military experience in two different branches of the service, and was surprise that someone would take the time to thank me for that service.