Thread: Reflections on Wartime Shaves

Thats a great story Obie, and a great image! Thank you for sharing it with us.

And thank you too for your service.

All the best,

Stuart

Obie my friend, I could not even imagine the horrors of that particular time and place, nor having to shave in that type of setting. For most of us shaving is a personal time behind closed doors, where silence is enjoyed; a time that is surely taken for granted. Your story is another reminder for us to be thankful for the relative peace we have in our lives, and to hope that we will never have to endure a "wartime shave".

Best regards,

Ryan

obie,

that was an absolutely beautiful story.. really emotionally stirring.. thank you.

Great story, thanks for it and your service to your country.

I was four years old when you were over there Obie,glad you made it back.That was a good write for sure.I have vague memories of playing in my grandmothers front yard (with little plastic toy soldiers of all things) and seeing the convoys of old school jeeps with canvas tops driving by from Camp Grayling,Michigan.Use all the good shaving soap and hot water you want now...your home.And thank you.

Thank you for your service to our country and the great story.

Good story and well written.

I distinctly recall one shave in Viet Nam while still a FNG.

Morning, typical steel pot, cold water, Gillette DE, goo-in-a-can field shave.

I hear something overhead, I say to my self "what was that?", then the explosion. My first motar attack. No idea if I ever finished the shave.

Obie, what an absolutely fantastic read. You have a way with words that paints a wonderful picture. As a non-combat veteran, I can not recount stories such as yours but can only wax nostalgic for my field time in various parts of the world. After reading your story I had images of me shaving in Ft. Drum, in winter, with cold water with a disposable. Or the time in Louisiana in the summer. All miserable moments that made me hate shaving until recently. I salute you for your service and am thankful for everyone else that has written that blank check.

Great read and thanks very much for your service. Our nam basecamp had only cold water showers, twice a week if lucky. I did have a Gilette fat boy at base camp and got to use it sometimes twice a week as well. Now days the brutality and frequent terror of my tour seem almost surreal at times.

Write more anytime you feel like it Obie! It will be appreciated.

I was very fortunate to have served 4 years ('58 - '62) which was a period of relative calm. I did not experience combat and always felt that those who did and those who paid the ultimate price were in a league of their own. I always feel something special when I meet combat veterans and always thank them for their service. I cannot begin to imagine what they experienced but I'm thankful for these veterans.
I never had an opportunity to express my feelings for combat veterans until I saw this thread. Thank you to all those who served in harms way.