�������John was a military advisor in Vietnam, stationed near Bien Hoa with MAT 41. He was a career soldier so there was never a doubt about going to Vietnam because that was his job, to go where the Army sent him without question. I was a hairdresser and was at work when two officers came to the shop where I worked. It was one week, to the day, after I had spent a wonderful week with him in Hawaii on R&R. When the officers appeared at the front door, after asking for me, I was told I ran out the back door. I guess I figured if I didn't talk to them it wouldn't be true. That was the 18th of December. What an awful Christmas present I would have to give to my two children, John, eleven and Joanna, seven. The next week is a blur to me and I am still, almost 30 years since, learning what took place. I physically remember food being sent and friends, as I only had an aunt on John's side here in Augusta, Georgia, and trying to get Christmas ready for my children, so they would at least not miss �Santa�. We left home the day after Christmas for Idaho, where he had requested to be buried, next to his father, if it �happened�. He arrived on December 29th and the funeral was held the next day while snow fell silently and that is the only thing I remember about his funeral except the 21 Gun Salute and Taps. They are permanently etched in my memory. I still to this day cannot hear them without crying. We left for home the next day and missed flights all across the States, because of the weather, landing in Atlanta too late to catch the last plane into Augusta. I stood at the counter and cried and thought what a horrible way to start the New Year. We met at Ft. Eustis, Virginia, where we were both stationed. It was not love at first sight: I thought he had big ears. You know how vain we are at eighteen, but he kept asking and I finally accepted. We were married four months later. I thank God we had 12 wonderful years together before he was taken from us. There have been a lot of rough times that I'm sure would have not been so tough if he had been here, but myself and my children have had a good life and I have made sure that they know what a wonderful man their father was, and continue to carry on the story for my grandchildren. I am now very active as secretary/co-editor of our newsletter, at the local Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America. These men and women have helped so much, because they listen and understand my feelings. I have visited �The Wall� in Washington and go visit the �Moving Wall� whenever it is near. I have said many times to family members of POW-MIA's that I feel lucky that at least I know where he is, not like they, who go on with their lives never really knowing the truth or the fate of their loved ones because they have been lied to so many times by our government. So I will stay active with the Vietnam Veterans to help in any way I can to somehow help those families, and in return I receive so much more from them. Two years ago, a young lady, whose father is a MIA �adopted� me as her surrogate mother, after she lost her real mother and I will help her in any way that I can so some day she will find closure in her life. Thanks for listening, it always hurts and helps to talk about John. He was only 33 years old.