Warriors' Reunion

I hope you will enjoy my Sketch honoring Australia's RANCD- Royal Australian Clearance Divers. I met a couple of them who fought in Vietnam alongside our UDT/SEALs. Often we forget the support of our allies. It is my hope that this will remind Americans of the friends we have throughout the
world and ones who "Defend Freedom" as our Armed Forces do.

It was a great honor to meet two of the divers. Think you might find it interesting how the meeting came about.

Most who know me know I really enjoy riding trains. When at all possible, I take trains to business and pleasure trips. Some trips are both business and pleasure. That is what this one was. I was attending a Navy SEALs Reunion held in Coronado, CA. After the events were over, one of the SEALs drove me
to the station in San Diego for my trip home to Texas, where I lived at the time. One thing I like about trains is that you meet a lot of nice and interesting people. It is like a 'mobile community'. On trains, people seem to be more relaxed, and enjoying the ride and scenery. Just the feel of the train's gentle rock is great. You can't be in a hurry, I guess that is the best part. Trains force you to relax. They have certain rules,
like usually you have to make reservations for the dining car. When you get to the dining car you have to be seated and that
means with other passengers, because of space. So, that is an opportunity to visit with others from all over the nation and different walks of life. One evening as I was leaving the dinning car, a gentleman with a very distinct Australian accent politely let me in front of him as we were exiting the car. I was wearing a US Navy wind suit that Navy recruiting headquarters
had given me. He noticed that and asked me if I was in the Navy. I told him I just worked for them. I do artwork for the military on a contract basis and I was just returning
from a SEALs reunion in Coronado. He replied "Do you know what we are?" and he pointed to another gentleman who was his brother, Mike. Of course I had no idea. He told me "We are Royal Australian Clearance Divers and we served with your SEALs in Vietnam. We are the Australian equivalent of your
American SEALs." That was fascinating to me! By that time we could tell we were holding up the line, and so we sat down in the last booth to let the others pass. We talked a while and then he invited me to breakfast and to bring some of my art samples to show them.

At breakfast I brought my binder which I take with me. It is a portfolio of my art reduced. I also brought a book that the SEAL who had driven me to the train had brought for me at the event. He is one of the SEALs who's story was featured in the book "Men Behind the Trident". First thing, I handed Tony
the book and asked him if he knew any of those guys. The book had photos of them during Vientam. Many were the same guys I had been visiting with at the reunion. He opened the book to a page of photos and called out one of their names. I said "You know him?" He was yes, and was very surprised to have found a connection with him again. I got on my cell and called the
SEAL, and he was so surprised that I had met Tony. Wow, what are the odds? First of all, they were in the sleeper cars on the other end of the train, I was in the 'coach' section, I had to
be wearing the Navy wind jacket, we had to have reservations at the same time, we had to be leaving San Diego on the same train, etc. I think Tony told me he had only been in America twice, and there weren't very many Aussie Divers or SEALs during Vietnam. I think maybe 50 Aussie's and 150 UDTs in our Navy. They weren't called SEALs back then. Anyway, when I told the SEAL that I had found an Australian "frog" and handed Tony the phone, he told Tony that he had a picture of them on his wall and he often wondered what happened to them. Wow! Because of that 'fatefull' meeting, they were united again with their warrior buddies! At the next reunion the
RANCD Association president and Tony came and presented a plaque to our SEALs and welcomed the SEALs to be honorary members of their association. The SEALs returned the honor to the Aussie divers. It sounds like fiction, but it is true. I was able to hear stories of their service together. As it always seems to be. warriors are bonded in a special way to each other. It was an awesome experience to see them visiting with each other after all those years.

This meeting, call it coincidence or whatever, but as I have said many times, I just know God has a special place in His heart for those who defend Freedom, and He knows the bond they have for each other. Maybe it is HIs way of letting them know, by letting them see each other again. I know I sure thank God for the opportunity to honor them in a small way with my sketches. I feel very blessed for that. I hope RANCD will enjoy my visual
Salute to them.

I got to enjoy the company of Tony Ey and his brother Mike all the way to Texas where I got off at San Antonio. I have gained really good friends again because of my work, and because of a train ride. I also want to thank Tony for anawesome job he did putting a video together with some of my sketches on YouTube. If you would like to view it, go to http://www.youtube.com. Type into the search box "Military Art Cheryl Ann Roberts".
He is very good at doing videos! Thanks, again, my friend! God
bless Australia and all who live there! Thank you for supporting FREEDOM!

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