July 4th, 2005
Beech Fork State Park
Memo
As a Vietnam Veteran, I am well aware of the lack of support our troops have faced on coming home, in past eras. I am involved with Thanks Plain and Simple to assure that our returning troops have public support.
We thank you for the supreme sacrifices you and your families make in defense of freedom. We are proud of West Virginia and of you.
We encourage you to stay in West Virginia when you return home. We can’t promise jobs and all you might need, but we are committed to you, as people, not just now, but when you return. We hope to:
A Plain and simple “Thanks!”
Ronald Wroblewski, V. P., Board of Directors
Charlie and Carolyn Artrip, May 7, 2005
The Artrips were married four days before he was shipped out to Vietnam.
Their grandson, Chad, is a country-western singer and he improvised a song, “She thinks my half-track is sexy.” Hopefully, he will sing it at Thanks! Plain and Simple Day, and maybe, on this web site.
NEVER AGAIN
The nation now sees that to have rejected Vietnam veterans was a sorrow for the country.
To recognize this is an advance.
Wherever you are serving, we know your value. West Virginians find it easy to say this.
We are standing tall as a state to say that we want you to know we care about you, as people. We want you to remember home as it is, not as those who don’t know us think it is. We hope you can come home to contribute your motivation, training and natural talents.
Sign says: “Welcome to Playboy Pad”
May 7th, 2005 event to welcome home Vietnam Vetearns – Finally!
We promise no miracles. We promise to do our best to work with you, to show and use your strengths, for our future.
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Glad you came home
with that smile,
Ron
Huntington, Memorial Day, 2005
We heard a man say to his grandson, “When you are in a crowd of veterans, you are in a crowd of all kinds of Americans. Pay attention to that.”
In Bluefield, a group of veterans and a senior reporter at the Bluefield Telegraph cooperate to restore an African-American cemetery. Their work is hard and constant, to upright stones, clear underbrush and, in general, restore the respect the site has had in the past. Many of the graves are of those who served in two wars, when they could not eat in restaurants in America.
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