42 years-Vietnam buddies make torn dollar whole (Seattle WA)

[underpants]

Torn dollar reunites Vietnam vets in Seattle
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_041709WAB-vietnam-vets-reunited-TP.e5586019.html

SEATTLE -- Forty-two years ago, two young soldiers served side-by-side in the jungles of Vietnam. When they parted, they split a dollar bill in half. Now in their retirement years, the two men and that dollar bill are reunited in Seattle.

He and fellow soldier Ron Bauer made a simple plan when they parted. Watson said, "We'll just tear this dollar bill in two, sign each half, and when we get back to the states, we'll meet up and put this dollar bill back together."

"We've had this in our billfold for 42 years and carried it and not spoken to each other for that length of time,” said Watson.

Gary would marry and have a daughter. That daughter, Abby Sandberg, eventually moved here to Washington state.

Ron Bauer lives in Poulsbo.

Sandberg hit the Internet.

"I think within five minutes of putting his name in the computer, we had a phone number,” she said.

The phone call brought both men to the Seattle Center. Two American soldiers, separated in Vietnam in 1967, met for the first time on American soil. In seconds, a torn dollar and lost friendship were made whole again.

"Maybe it will inspire someone else, because he's a great friend. Always has, always will be,” said Watson.

It won't end here. There's one more torn dollar in Gary's wallet. One more lost friend to find. The name on that other dollar is Johnny Weston from North Carolina. Gary also served with him in Vietnam but has never seen him.

[cliffordu]

1. Well....

Nice story.

I hope that guy finds his other buddy.

[Winterblues]

2. They weren't supposed to have that dollar bill, it was considered treason at the time.

All American green back dollars were taken from US Military in Vietnam and they were issued MPC (Military Payment Certificate). The reason given was that American money could be used on the world market to purchase weapons used to kill Americans. Also since MPC was all in paper money there were no coins to make noise in GIs pockets. Then along comes Iraq and not only was MPC no longer used but pallets of shrink wrapped American hundred dollar bills were sent to Iraq and just "disappeared" No one knows anything....over eight billion dollars worth. Cheney's Net Worth went up Dramatically during those eight years it should be noted..