I thought I would add this story about John.....We were friends right off when I moved to Manchester in 1957..he was avery quiet person, who realy kept to his-self.. He lived behind the high school on Summit St...
My sad story is : After a softball game at charter oak field I went to the Charter Oak Grill to cool down with a couple of cold beers..It was quiet in there that particular night....As I was lighting a cigarette and looking around the place I noticed John sitting by his-self with his head down over his beer..Just gettin back from the service that year I didn't see too many old friends around town.. I yelled over to him,,Hey !! John !! How the hell are ya,,long time no see, buddy....He looked up with a weak smile and answered,,Damn Kostenko good to see you and proceeded to stare down at his beer again...
I walked over to where he was sitting and ploped down on a chair next to him...I said what's the matter guy you look down in the dumps...He looked up at me, I could see his eye's were red and tears starting to form around his eyes..I put my arm around his shoulder and said come on John things can't be all that bad??
He looked at me with those sad eyes and said, I'm in a world of shit, I leave for Vietnam Tomorrow!! I got drafted a while back and its time to do my thing....He looked me in the eyes with tears streaming down his cheeks an said, Fred I've got a real bad feeling about this, I feel I will never come home...I hugged him tight and tried to console him...We talked for an hour or so and I explained to him that I was overseas in England in the Air Force at my base and the stupid Goverment had the nerve to send me my draft notice..I wrote them back that I was out of the country right now and wasn't interested...I never heard from them again...Well, John went to Vietnam and never came back Home....Love you, John and the other 58,190 thousand who never came home for a war that was a complete waste for out society and nation..
Frederic Kostenko
I thought I would add this story about John.....We were friends right off when I moved to Manchester in 1957..he was avery quiet person, who realy kept to his-self.. He lived behind the high school on Summit St...
My sad story is : After a softball game at charter oak field I went to the Charter Oak Grill to cool down with a couple of cold beers..It was quiet in there that particular night....As I was lighting a cigarette and looking around the place I noticed John sitting by his-self with his head down over his beer..Just gettin back from the service that year I didn't see too many old friends around town.. I yelled over to him,,Hey !! John !! How the hell are ya,,long time no see, buddy....He looked up with a weak smile and answered,,Damn Kostenko good to see you and proceeded to stare down at his beer again...
I walked over to where he was sitting and ploped down on a chair next to him...I said what's the matter guy you look down in the dumps...He looked up at me, I could see his eye's were red and tears starting to form around his eyes..I put my arm around his shoulder and said come on John things can't be all that bad??
He looked at me with those sad eyes and said, I'm in a world of shit, I leave for Vietnam Tomorrow!! I got drafted a while back and its time to do my thing....He looked me in the eyes with tears streaming down his cheeks an said, Fred I've got a real bad feeling about this, I feel I will never come home...I hugged him tight and tried to console him...We talked for an hour or so and I explained to him that I was overseas in England in the Air Force at my base and the stupid Goverment had the nerve to send me my draft notice..I wrote them back that I was out of the country right now and wasn't interested...I never heard from them again...Well, John went to Vietnam and never came back Home....Love you, John and the other 58,190 thousand who never came home for a war that was a complete waste for out society and nation..
For all who served,,,,,.....Fred Kostenko.