It was March 1969.
A beautiful 21 year old brunette was on her way home from work in her burgundy 1966 Mustang. She stopped at the corner of Luray and Dewitt Avenue in the Del Ray section of Alexandria. Standing on the corner was a 20 year old lanky boy waiting for his friends to stop by so they could decide what their plans were for the night.
The girl stopped to say "hi" because she hadn't seen the boy in a while. They knew each other from growing up in the same neighborhood and attending the same high school but she had graduated a year before him. He had been a drummer in the marching band and she was a pom pom girl at GW High School. Something made her stop the car that day and talk with the boy for a while. Neither of them knew it would change their lives forever.
The boy had always thought the girl was "cute" but she always had a steady guy in high school so he never asked her out. The girl was a year ahead of him in school and he had lost track of her after she graduated. He was pleasantly surprised she had driven by and stopped to talk that day.
After they talked for a while, the boy realized the girl wasn't dating anyone so the light went off in his head and he called her the next day and asked her out. She said "yes" and that upcoming weekend they went on their first date to the Old Stein Restaurant in Washington, D.C. Afterwards, they went to Bassin's at 20th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.
The boy and girl went out a lot over that month and started to get really close. Although it was only a month that they had been dating, they felt as if they'd been together for years. Along with the mutual physical attraction, they were amazed at how much they had in common and how comfortable they were together. She loved his honest, sweet and considerate nature. He loved the way she looked at him.
One month later, April 1969, the boy was drafted.
The boy had feelings for the girl but also knew he wouldn't be around long so he wouldn't make a commitment because he thought it wouldn't be fair to the girl.
The girl didn't want to be with anyone else. She would wait for him.
The girl went with the boy's parents to Ft. Benning, Georgia, when the boy graduated from Army Basic Training. She missed him so very much and at Ft. Benning is when she knew for sure she wanted to be with him and only him. He was the one.
The girl also went with the boy's parents to the Atlanta airport when he was scheduled to go to Ft. Polk, Louisiana for advanced infantry training. The boy came home in September 1969 and the girl went to Dulles airport with his parents to meet him.
The boy was home for a couple of weeks and then the girl and his parents took him back to Dulles to head to Oakland, California. The boy's next stop would be Vietnam. The girl would continue to wait for him.
The boy and girl would keep in touch through U.S. mail. The boy was able to call once from Vietnam. The girl had no desire to date anyone else. She knew they were meant to be together.
After spending a year fighting for his country in Vietnam, the boy knew what he wanted but didn't know what to expect when he got home. He found out the girl hadn't gone out with anyone while he was away and even when his brother invited her to parties, she wouldn't go. Being away from the girl for a year, the boy knew how much he loved her and missed her. He often thought about coming home to her, getting married and starting their life together. Those thoughts kept the boy sane while he was at war.
On Friday, March 13, 1970, the boy was wounded in Vietnam. He wrote the girl and told her he was wounded but it "wasn't a big deal". The girl took the letter to the boy's parents who contacted his uncle who contacted a friend at the American Red Cross. The girl was very worried until the boy called home and she heard his voice.
While the boy was recovering, he auditioned for the U.S. Army Band. He was discharged from the Infantry and reenlisted in the Band. In June 1970, the boy left Vietnam, came home for two weeks and then was reassigned to Germany for two years. With each passing day the boy and girl continued to grow closer.
The girl was excited because she would now be able to visit him in Germany. The boy's father told him not to expect the girl to wait another two years for him because she had already waited one year while he was in Vietnam. The girl would continue to wait.
After being in Germany for a almost a year without the girl, the boy realized she was definitely the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. In Spring 1971, the girl went to Germany for two weeks to visit the boy. It was the first time she had flown. The girl and boy started talking marriage.
The boy wanted to get married in Germany but the girl knew that would upset her parents. Plans were made for the girl and boy to get married in Alexandria when the boy came home on leave for Christmas in 1971.
On January 8, 1972, the girl and the boy got married at First Baptist Church of Alexandria on King Street. On January 15, the girl went back to Germany with the boy, as his wife, to finish out the remainder of his tour in the Army.
The boy had feelings for the girl but also knew he wouldn't be around long so he wouldn't make a commitment because he thought it wouldn't be fair to the girl.
The girl didn't want to be with anyone else. She would wait for him.
The girl went with the boy's parents to Ft. Benning, Georgia, when the boy graduated from Army Basic Training. She missed him so very much and at Ft. Benning is when she knew for sure she wanted to be with him and only him. He was the one.
The girl also went with the boy's parents to the Atlanta airport when he was scheduled to go to Ft. Polk, Louisiana for advanced infantry training. The boy came home in September 1969 and the girl went to Dulles airport with his parents to meet him.
The boy and girl would keep in touch through U.S. mail. The boy was able to call once from Vietnam. The girl had no desire to date anyone else. She knew they were meant to be together.
After spending a year fighting for his country in Vietnam, the boy knew what he wanted but didn't know what to expect when he got home. He found out the girl hadn't gone out with anyone while he was away and even when his brother invited her to parties, she wouldn't go. Being away from the girl for a year, the boy knew how much he loved her and missed her. He often thought about coming home to her, getting married and starting their life together. Those thoughts kept the boy sane while he was at war.
On Friday, March 13, 1970, the boy was wounded in Vietnam. He wrote the girl and told her he was wounded but it "wasn't a big deal". The girl took the letter to the boy's parents who contacted his uncle who contacted a friend at the American Red Cross. The girl was very worried until the boy called home and she heard his voice.
While the boy was recovering, he auditioned for the U.S. Army Band. He was discharged from the Infantry and reenlisted in the Band. In June 1970, the boy left Vietnam, came home for two weeks and then was reassigned to Germany for two years. With each passing day the boy and girl continued to grow closer.
The girl was excited because she would now be able to visit him in Germany. The boy's father told him not to expect the girl to wait another two years for him because she had already waited one year while he was in Vietnam. The girl would continue to wait.
After being in Germany for a almost a year without the girl, the boy realized she was definitely the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. In Spring 1971, the girl went to Germany for two weeks to visit the boy. It was the first time she had flown. The girl and boy started talking marriage.
The boy wanted to get married in Germany but the girl knew that would upset her parents. Plans were made for the girl and boy to get married in Alexandria when the boy came home on leave for Christmas in 1971.
On January 8, 1972, the girl and the boy got married at First Baptist Church of Alexandria on King Street. On January 15, the girl went back to Germany with the boy, as his wife, to finish out the remainder of his tour in the Army.
To have and to hold
from this day forward
for better for worse
for richer for poorer
in sickness and in health
til death do us part.
Today, January 8, 2016, this boy and this girl are still happily married and very much in love!
Happy 44th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!
Thank you for being the best parents and friends a girl could ask for and for being my love role models.
There's a place for us
A time and place for us
Hold my hand and we're halfway there
Hold my hand and I'll take you there
Somehow
Some day
Somewhere
A time and place for us
Hold my hand and we're halfway there
Hold my hand and I'll take you there
Somehow
Some day
Somewhere
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