To the editor:

As Veterans Day approaches every year, I’m reminded of the many sacrifices made by our veterans on land, air and sea. I am also reminded of the many who have made ultimate sacrifices, i.e., loss of life, limb, state of mind, or all of the above.

Such was the case of my friend, Dave. My friend Dave was the best friend a person could ever hope for. Dave knew that I had served in the Navy as a corpsman and had similar views on saving lives, rather than taking them.

Thus, it was a shock when I learned that my friend had joined the Navy, completed flight school and, in the summer of 1965, was missing in action over the China Sea. My friend’s body and plane were never found. After many years of tears and speculation over this, I have come to realize that Dave, too, believed that he was saving lives.

With all of the above said, I consider myself fortunate for being able to shed a tear or two while writing this.