Great feeling, isn't it, Bob?

On Saturday before Veterans' Day, after meeting up with Mark, Dave Fogg, Doc & Rosemary, Tom F., John Hunter and Joe Quinn, we all converged on the hotel in Crystal City. A bit later, after I re-fed a parking meter, and had a smoke outside, I was talking to a grunt from 4 ID (1/12th), and Harry Harrison (with whom I'd only spoken on the phone, and never met face to face) came around the corner, asked me where the Ia Drang bunch was, and I told him that the Cav's hospitality room was on the second floor- then Harry asked me if I was Tom Lumpkin, and I just about fell out!- I told him that I was, and rushed him with "how did you know that?"

I'd forgotten that my nametag was on my jungle jacket- duh!! He introduced himself, and we then went upstairs, where I re-intro'd him to Joe Quinn, who flew with Harry in '67. The look on their faces was worth a million bucks ! I was not at all instrumental in their both being there, but
having heard from Joe that he and Harry had flown together, getting them face-to-face was a unique thrill.

Harry had a photo album from "back in the day", and all pored over it for a long time...

a great day, it was...

HappyLump