Heroes

I was in the Miami airport yesterday waiting to return to DC when I spotted a Korean War veteran; so over to chat I went.

Meet 90-year old Alfred Powell, US Army Second Division, 38th Field Artillery; he fought in Korea in 1951 and 1952 — he was 21 then.

I asked him about fighting in the cold and he just closed his eyes and shook his head. He wound up with frostbite on the bottoms of both feet and to this day (68 years later) still suffers from pain.

He did say that the Army finally issued what he referred to as “Mickey Mouse” boots and they were a huge improvement.

Mr. Powell’s outfit had 105mm guns and he fought in the area of the “Iron Triangle, Pork Chop Hill, Baldy Hill, Bloody Ridge, and Heartbreak Ridge.”

These older black gentlemen are their own special species, 90 but looks 70, calm, thoughtful and poised.

And they have stories to tell.