In a small, humble home in Wendell, Idaho, John Metzler keeps a letter that got him through the Vietnam War. He has it tucked away behind a picture on a shelf. It was written by a girl in the sixth grade while John served in the Army as a Army helicopter sniper. He didn’t know her, but her letter meant a lot to him.
He got it on Christmas Day back in 1970, when he was only 23.
And it read: “Dear Serviceman, I want to give my sincere thanks for going over to war to fight for us. The class hopes you will be able to come home.”
The letter was signed, DonnaCaye.
Any soldier could have received it, but it came to John. And he cherished it. And today, he said, it means even more to him because of one simple word in the letter… thanks.
A short while back, John asked members of his family if they could find DonnaCaye so he could tell her how much her letter meant to him. Well, they told him they couldn’t or just didn’t have any luck with the search. But as we all know sometimes family can fib. Thing is… they actually DID find DonnaCaye.
She was now DonnaCaye Ludemann Sica, and she was more than willing to let the veteran looking for her know that he was still in her thoughts… only THIS time, she would do it in person. So, with the secret help of John’s family, DonnaCaye flew to Florida and surprised him. And he sure WAS surprised, shouting, “You’re REAL!!!”
Says DonnaCaye, who recalls taking that writing assignment long ago very seriously: “I remember writing the letter. I was amazed that I could have the opportunity to write to a serviceman and maybe make his life a little simpler for a couple of minutes.”
John said DonnaCaye’s words back during the war were not only appreciated, but they were desperately needed.
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