Chance Meeting

[adamsjp]

The other day I met my first fellow Popasmoke brother, Randy Hirsch.
I was in HMM-164, in Vietnam. Got out of the USMC and joined the Arkansas Army National Guard. Stayed in the military (USMC and ARNG) for a total of 36 years and retired from active duty with guard. Been drawing a retirement check for almost 3 years.
Here's the story. After doing nothing for 7 months, I went to work as the Civilian Office Manager for the Director of Military Support at Camp Robinson, North Little Rock. AR. I have a Popasmoke sticker on the back bumper of my car and a Combat Aircrew Wings plate on the front.
The other morning I drove into our compound and as I got out of my car, a strange pickup truck came up behind me. The driver got out and said "Hey Popasmoke come here and look". I walked over to his truck and saw his association sticker on the rear window. It turns out that he is a Chief Warrant Officer, in the National Guard, assigned to the National Guard Professional Education Center at Camp Robinson.
Small world.
John

[rehirsch]

I had seen this car on Camp Robinson with the Combat Air Crew Wings on the front and the Popasmoke bumper sticker on the back but could never find out who was driving the vehicle. One morning on the way to work, I let a vehicle merge into traffic from a gas station and low and behold it was Popasmoke. I followed him through the gate at Camp Robinson and then on to where he worked. I got out of my truck when he got out of his car and yelled out to him "Hey, Popasmoke". He said back "What!" in a surly voice. I then yelled out Semper Fi. His tone of voice changed immediately. Things must have clicked together for him because he asked if I belonged to Popasmoke too. I told him to look at the back window of my truck where I have not only the Marine Corps decal but the Popasmoke sticker. We had a good mini-reunion and I learned that his name is John Adams. I work for a Major John Adams on Camp Robinson.
After being discharged from the Corps I joined the Wyoming Army National Guard and served for 14 and half years with them. Then my wife and I moved to Alaska and I served there in the Alaska Army Guard as a first sergeant and then went into the warrant officer corps as a signal warrant. I continued to serve in the Mighigan Army Guard for just over 8 years. Nebraska was my next station in the Army Guard for 5 years. I retired from the excepted civil service program and came back on active duty as a CW4 teaching computer subjects to Army Guard personnel. I wear an Army uniform, but my office says Marine. I have the US s and Marine flag set, my ITR picture from Lima Company, Dec 1968, and other references to my Marine Corps service.
Semper Fidelis
and Merry Christmas

[Beach48]

Have lived about two miles from Camp Robinson for the last four years. Served
with HMM-164 & HMM-165 in Vietnam. Was retired early and work for Department of Housing and Urban Development in Little Rock. May have to tip a brewski one day.

Semper Fi!

Brian Beachler