I realized there was a little story that I hadn't posted about. When Taylor was going to Bethesda for her medical testing, we knew it was going to be really close to the Marine Corps birthday. We had contacted Sgt. Grits and told them of Taylor and her going to visit the wounded. They immediately sent her some beautiful birthday coins to give out to the wounded. Unfortunately, the coins came in after we left and she wasn't able to hand deliver them to those she visited. When we got back home, the coins were here and she was able to send them back to the National Naval Medical Center to be given out to those that she visited.
We had an idea though. I am sure you have read about Taylor being able to fly back to DC a few weeks after her medical testing with the WWll veterans for the day. She thought who better to get some of those birthday coins then some WWll veterans! As it happened to be, the minute she walked into the airport terminal, she saw a man sitting there with a Marine hat and she immediately walked over and shook his hand and said 'Happy Birthday Marine' You should have seen the look on this old man's face! He stared at her deeply and intently for what seemed forever, then his face softened and he reached out his hand and said thank you. She had one of those coins in her hand and as they shook, she slipped it from her hand to his.
He opened his hand and looked at what was held in his palm. He looked at her and gave her a wonderful smile. Once she told him she was a Gunny, boy did he ever straiten up his stand! Once in DC, they were buddies while walking around and Taylor was able to hand out more birthday coins that day to many other WWll veterans.
Because I wasn't there in DC with her, I wasn't able to get pictures of her handing these out, but I did get one of her giving out her first one and through that simple hand shake, saying Happy Birthday and handing over a coin, Taylor gained yet another new friend.
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