Published: July 08, 2008 03:07 am            

The Bonds of Soldiers

Vietnam War buddies reunite after 40 years

PALESTINE — The experiences a soldier shares with his comrades in arms during times of combat can bind them together like nothing else. Those bonds are made even stronger when the men are able to keep in touch after the war is over.

After losing contact with his own war buddies over 40 years ago, Elkhart resident Bobby Rea recently was part of a face-to-face reunion with two of his four closest friends.

In July 1967, Rea returned to the United States after a year of service with the U.S. Army in Vietnam. Not knowing if he would ever see his friends again, Rea attempted to maintain contact with one of them, Charlie “Pete” Peterson, by mail.

“As usual, we got busy and eventually lost touch,” Rea said. “Over the past 20 years, I tried several times to locate my friends and see how they were doing — if they had made it home alive.”

In May, Rea received a surprise phone call from one of his friends, Peterson, who is currently living in Greenville, Ill.

“After talking for a few minutes, he asked if I was going to be home about the same time the next day,” Rea explained. “I told him that I would be home expecting his call.”

When the phone rang the next day and Rea answered, Peterson asked him to hold. The next voice Rea heard was that of his friend Marvin Debolt of Shumway, Ill.

“After talking with Marvin for a few minutes, I was asked to hold again, expecting that Peterson wanted to talk to me,” Rea explained. “But, lo and behold, the next minute I’m talking to Garry Jeffries from Maumel, Arkansas.”

Once again, after a few minutes speaking with Jeffries, Rea was put on hold and then put on the line with another old friend, Nigel “Brooksie” Brooks, who lives in Pearland.

“It turns out the group was having a get-together in Springfield, Ill. and after some discussion and a phone call, they located me in Elkhart,” Rea said. “After 41 years, the group of five was still alive and accounted for.”

Last month, Rea decided to take his wife and grandson to Branson, Mo. Hoping for a face-to-face reunion with his buddies, Rea told Peterson and Jeffries what he had planned to do.

“Peterson told me he would meet me in Branson and Jeffries said he would try to see me when I passed through Little Rock,” he said.

The first night of the trip, while camping in Burns State Park in north Little Rock, Jeffries kept his word and paid Rea a visit.

“He drove over and we reminisced about old times,” Rea said. “Two days later, Pete and I met up in Branson and visited that afternoon and the next day.

“On the way home to Texas, Jeffries offered a free lunch if we would stop in Maumel and visit to look at some old photos,” he added. “We stopped and had a nice visit before heading home for Texas once more.”

In looking back on his reunion, Rea said he felt God had a big hand in bringing he and his soldier buddies together again.

“Getting to hear from four of them after 41 years and getting to see two of them has been a truly wonderful experience,” he said. “Maybe I’ll get to see the other two before long; but if not, 50 percent is better than none at all.

“I think everyone should make every effort to see family and friends and to renew old friendships before it is too late.”

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Mary Rainwater may be reached via e-mail at mrainwater@palestineherald.com

        

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