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We've all, undoubtedly, said many goodbyes. What's your most memorable farewell?
Mine is the day I entered the Army. The recruiter came to our upstate NY home at something like 0600 to pick up my 17-year-old self and take me to the recruiting station, then on to the airport and basic training at Fort Polk, LA. After I said goodbye to my mother, my aunt (who lived down the road and was like a second mother to me) waved through her window as we drove by. And she never got up at such an early hour! That day was just over 39 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday.
What about you? What's your most memorable goodbye?
Mine is the day I entered the Army. The recruiter came to our upstate NY home at something like 0600 to pick up my 17-year-old self and take me to the recruiting station, then on to the airport and basic training at Fort Polk, LA. After I said goodbye to my mother, my aunt (who lived down the road and was like a second mother to me) waved through her window as we drove by. And she never got up at such an early hour! That day was just over 39 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday.
What about you? What's your most memorable goodbye?
Edited 11 y ago
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 16
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My most memorable was when I said goodbye to my wife, my son, and my daughter the day I left for Afghanistan. It is still a vivid memory nearly a decade later and much more vivid than my 'homecoming' was.. that is still just a blur to me, or even the day I left for the Army... MANY decades ago (of course that has probably faded much more from age!)
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Yes - I remember saying goodbye to my wife, daughters and parents at the airport when I left on ADVON to go on deployment. It was better that way then having a sendoff ceremony.
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Leaving my 10 month old daughter in Sept 2001 headed out. Gone from Sept 2001 to March or April of 2003. And that was before we could do the whole Skype thing.....so it was the odd phone call at the weird hours, for 5 minutes, when you could get into the morale tents....
That sucked. (the not being able to see/hold/talk to the baby). The deployment was good to go.
That sucked. (the not being able to see/hold/talk to the baby). The deployment was good to go.
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Oh wow Chief, what a great discussion topic!
My sweet momma has been there for every goodbye and been there to welcome me back home :) aw I love my momma!!!
My sweet momma has been there for every goodbye and been there to welcome me back home :) aw I love my momma!!!
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CW5 (Join to see)
Thanks for sharing, SSG V. Michelle Woods. My mother was the one who was always there for me as well.
Great pictures!
Great pictures!
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CW5 (Join to see) Indeed I do. My sister was crying and so was my girlfriend though it was a bus and not a train and then a trip to the Airport. Got on (in according to George Carlin), a 727 of Eastern Airlines. I sat near the bathrooms and could smell the disinfectant in the bathroom as the jet took off, feeling the steeper incline on my first trip since I was an infant. MSG Wade Huffman I had to tell Wade to get out of my seat! Just kidding Wayne. lol
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Saying bye to my wife on my way to my first TDY after we just got married.... she was so sad!
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Saying goodbye to Baghdad! At the last minute we found out we were getting flown from BIAP to Kuwait by our very own RI Air Guard 143rd Airlift Wing in their brandy-new C-130Js, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have just left Iraqi airspace. Welcome to Kuwait" You couldn't even hear the engines for the next 5 minutes there was so much hoopla!
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MSG(P) Michael Warrick
Yes - I remember saying goodbye to my wife, daughters and parents at the airport when I left on ADVON to go on deployment. It was better that way then having a sendoff ceremony.
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SFC Mark Merino
Great example MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca We went thru Turkey and we screamed so loud there might have been stress fractures in the acft.
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Saying goodbye to my mother when I left for USMC basic was pretty memorable. Up to that day, I don't remember ever having seen her cry. I saw it then!
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CW5 (Join to see)
I know just what you mean, SGT Richard H.. My goodbyes from home (and Mom) were tear-filled for most of my military career. Some people see that as silly, but it depends on the emotional makeup of families and individuals. Everybody has their story.
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SPC(P) Jay Heenan
I remember when I graduated OSUT, my Mom walked right by me and didn't even recognize me...
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SGT Richard H.
You bet, CW5 (Join to see). I mentioned that I think that was the first time I saw her cry...it definitely wasn't the last.
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Getting there was another matter, parts I forget.. lol before debarking the bus to the base itself. Pointy hats and loud voices, the next is a rush... CW5 (Join to see)
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CW5 (Join to see) Yes, to my father when I deployed. He was a WWII veteran and I was deeply afraid he would die while I was deployed. I was serving as the 1SG of a CID Detachment and had to stay focused on the mission and my Soldiers. He was unable to come to the ceremony when we said our formal "good bye" but I said good bye privately to him before deploying. I had seen my Dad cry twice previously, both times at the death of his spouses. My mom died when I was 17 and my step mom died too. As we said good bye, a tear rolled down his face. It was the most emotionally charged experience I had to that point. Thankfully he and I both made it through my deployment, as did all of my Soldiers.
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CW5 (Join to see)
Thanks for sharing your story, SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS. And what a great story. I guess we all have some version of an emotional goodbye (or many). Thanks again.
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