Received An Amazing Gift Today (pics)

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shaintiques

Lifer
Jul 13, 2011
3,615
227
Georgia
One of my good friends, Ford used to smoke a pipe, but quit years ago due to health reasons. This was before I knew him or smoked a pipe myself, so I missed out on him giving away his pipes. He saved a few that had sentimental value to him. Ford was in the army and flew OV-1s in Vietnam. He Flew 400 missions. After Vietnam he ended up working on and training soldiers how to assemble and disassemble nuclear warheads. But in time Ford met the love of his life and decided to get out of the military. He had a Colonel who was over him who tried to talk him out of leaving, but when he saw that he couldn't dissuade him, he gave Ford a meerschaum pipe to thank him for his service. This was around 1965. Ford kept the pipe but never smoked it and today he brought it over and gifted it to me. I told him I plan to smoke it. It is an amazing gift that I will treasure. Here is a couple of pics of Ford and me with the pipe.





 

fnord

Lifer
Dec 28, 2011
2,746
8
Topeka, KS
Dave:
That's wonderful!
It's a beautiful, classy burner but a friendship with an old Mohawk pilot is even more special.
Get his oral history, pard. Before you know it, our Vietnam vets will be the WWII vets leaving us today in huge numbers. Their stories need to be remembered.
Your friend, Ford, respects you. Honor his life and record his memories.
Fnord

 

buroak

Lifer
Jul 29, 2014
1,867
14
What a great story of friendship. Cherish that pipe and your friend. As fnord says, get his history recorded in one form or another. I grew up with stories of WWII, though many men I knew would say only very little. Vietnam War veterans seem to be leaving us at younger ages than their WWII counterparts.

 

jkrug

Lifer
Jan 23, 2015
2,867
8
What an amazing gift to mark a great friendship!

That pipe will be one to honour and cherish for sure.

 

ejames

Lifer
Oct 6, 2009
3,916
22
That's just too cool Dave! Seems you have been blessed with some great folks in your life!

 

pipebaum81

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 23, 2014
669
235
As a service member I can vouch for how meaningful of a gift that pipe is. You are fortunate to have such a special friend.
j/B

 

mephistopheles

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 14, 2014
545
0
+1 Fnord
That's a really cool story. 400 missions seems like an incredible amount! He has definitely lived an interesting life. :clap:

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
No pipes I value as much as my gift pipes. Every one has its story and memories attached. Congratulations for being seen as the worthy recipient.

 

beefeater33

Lifer
Apr 14, 2014
4,063
6,119
Central Ohio
Dave:

Thanks for the wonderful story, and congrats on the pipe! Its the good things YOU do that make stuff like this happen.

Tell Ford we appreciate his service too-- They are not forgotten! Many Thanks! :worship:

 

joshb83

Can't Leave
Feb 25, 2015
310
2
Amazng story! I too have seen some great men leave the service of our counrty. After my most recent deployment too close up some of the bases in Afganistan, my unit was wellcomed home like never before to the ovation annd thanks of many Vietnam and even a few vets of Korea and WWII. To know that the job and day-to-day we take for granted as servicememebers is still supported by the American public makes it all worht it. Yet without men like your friend Ford, we wouldnt be able to do so. Tell your friend from one service memeber to another, thank you for your service!

 

rolldog

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 4, 2013
237
0
Great story and thank you for sharing. The next time you see him, please thank Ford for his service and tell him I said, "Welcome home!".
You have a very special pipe, he obviously sees something inside you worthy of such a storied pipe. Never forget to tell Ford's story to whoever will list and just as important, add your story. Someday, you can then choose someone to carry on with this pipe.

 
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