On a sun-drenched morning of Saturday, on the Atlantic coast of Cinnamon Beach located on northeast coast of Florida, 4 U.S. Marine veterans reunited having a yellow longboard held upright, attempting to reinvent a moment from 5 decades ago. They wanted to get the right picture, to appear exact close to the picture they took together 50 years back, before having their memories clouded by the images of war.

Bob Falk, 71 years old, dressed in a looking-alike white-and-blue striped shirt, inclined against the left side of longboard, placing his spare hand on hip. 69 years old Dennis Puleo, , removed his shoes, exposing the feet damaged by shrapnel, and took his shirt off, neighboring the longboard on right side, showing a huge smile for camera with extended arms. Tom Hanks (not the one from Forrest Gump), 69, walked in front of the board, took a deep, long breath, bending his still-thick chest and pulling in his now-tubby belly. Lastly, 70 years old Bob DeVenezia, bent down in front of Hanks, placing his elbows on his twisted knees, while Hanks’ hands was rested on his back.

The picture was not a flawless copy. They were all gray haired now, with crumpled skin and undefined stomachs. But none of this really matter. In 5 decades for the 1^st time, they were together, attempting to achieve a perfect rediscovery.

It was 1966, when these 4 U.S. Marines were stationed in Camp Pendleton together, outside San Diego. The War of Vietnam was ramping up, and together they were part of a weapons squad — 1 anti-tank soldier and 3 machine gunners— preparing themselves to sail to East Asia.

For the upcoming next 2 years, they were trained and deployed together. They were separated in Vietnam once, lasting many of the same awful circumstances, if not the like action. 2 of them earned Purple Hearts. Each underwent the unexplainable terror of war.

DeVenezia said, “We had the tools. We had the training”. “But nothing trains you for your first combat. Nothing. Zero.”

After their tours were finished, every one of them went their own preferred ways; DeVenezia in construction; Hanks in investment banking, Falk in retail management and Puleo in home security. The idea stroked Hank’s mind when he saw an old photo and finally planned to fresh their memories.

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