Today is a day to remember all of those who served our country, both in peace time and in war times, and especially those that went before and gave their last full measure. I remember Rusty Engle, Joe Markovich, and a host of others lost in Viet Nam. I remember the uncles I lost in WW II although I never got to meet them….and I remember Fred Carey. Fred was a local Post Office Letter Carrier who served in WWII. He was also a person who kind of hit upon a streak of bad luck that lasted nearly a lifetime. There were numerous dog attacks and problems with sidewalk construction and a couple of bar room battles that Fred got drug into through no fault of his own…and…..well…..just stuff that had a way of happening to Fred.
Fred made himself immortal with the telling of a wartime incident one night at O’Brians Tavern…seems like just yesterday, but it was long ago in reality.
All the lads were talking about woman, girl friends, marriage, and all that goes with the subjects such as that. Someone finally asked Fred if he had ever been married, to which he replied, “I was engaged once”. Normally that would have been the end of the conversation where Fred was concerned but another lad pressed on with, “What happened Fred….how come you never married her?” Fred sat there for what seemed like forever and finally started with, “Well it seems the Army Pastor was all up in arms about us soldiers not writing home and was giving us ‘what for’ cause he said folks at home were in the dark with what was happening here and the unknown was pure torture, so we should have some compassion for their plight and let them know we were OK and the like.” So Fred sat down and wrote a 4 page letter catching his fiancee up on all the things that had been happening and posted it. Well that was fine but it didn’t explain why he never got married……so the lads pressed on….well Fred….what happened?
Fred sat there for a long time and then said, “The Fu@%en Air Mail Plane got shot down………….” We all understood….there was no more need for explanation. Yes, I remember Fred!