Walla Walla Community Hospice helped a Vietnam Veteran, John Kelley obtain Marine dress blues. The patient expressed his desire for a uniform for his burial so his hospice social worker stepped in to make his dream come true. Nancy Bowes worked with the Virginia-based Navy-Marine Corps Society and after a blast email detailing the situation was sent from the Society, pieces of dress blues came together.
John Kelley received his dress blues along with a letter from Retired Maj. Gen. Carl B. Jensen of the U.S. Marine Corp:
Marine – I understand you may be packing a seabag for a final deployment – and that “if” your position is overrun, you’ve elected to go over the side wearing the cloth of our Corps.
If anyone every needed tangible proof of the adage “once a Marine, always a Marine” – I’ll be forever honored to cite your touching example.
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