Vietnam veteran honors Gold Star families on a river of healing

THE GOLD STAR IS A WAY OF RECOGNIZING AND HONORING
THE SACRIFICE MADE BY FAMILIES WHO LOSE U-S SERVICE
MEN AND WOMEN.
-- ERIC --
BUT TOO OFTEN - AFTER A GOLD STAR IS GIVEN TO A FAMILY
- WE AS A COMMUNITY FAIL TO CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE
THEIR SACRIFICE.
-- CHARLOTTE --
ONE MAN IS MAKING IT HIS MISSION TO HEAL THE WOUNDS
OF WAR - FOR GOLD STAR FAMILIES - AND FOR HIMSELF.
VO/ANIM
-- CHARLOTTE --
TONIGHT - ONLY ON NEWS 3 - DAVE DELOZIER HAS THE
STORY OF - A RIVER OF HEALING.

PACKAGE
P-
SOT
you know there's the river, and nature, and your maker.
1 VO TRACK
FOR JIM CRIGLER - THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IS A MISSION
TO FIND WHAT WAS ONCE LOST.
1 SOT
((( , "this is not a two day mission, this is a two
month mission. ")))
2 VO TRACK
A 2,300 MILE JOURNEY.
2 SOT
((( , "that's a lot of paddle strokes. ")))
3 VO TRACK
AND WITH EACH STROKE - HE MOVES FARTHER FROM WHERE
HE'S BEEN.
3 SOT
((( , "it was a horrible time to see men die and try
to kill other men. ")))
4 VO TRACK
AND ANOTHER STROKE CLOSER - TO WHERE HE'S HEADED.
4 SOT
((( , " if you're going to talk to the heart of america,
what better way to do it than through the main artery
of our country. ")))
VO/MINI-DISC
HIS STORY - AS LONG AS A RIVER - STARTED 45 YEARS
AGO.
SOT
i was flying with the 129th assault helicopter company
with my roommate first lieutenant thomas shaw and
believe me, all hell broke loose in early april.
VO/MINI-DISC
FLYING INTO FIRE - PLACES SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND DESPERATELY
WANTED OUT OF - A BOND WAS FORMED.
SOT
tom and i made a pact between us that if one of us
was killed in combat that the other would do their
best to be the burial escort officer and comfort the
family, when they escorted the body back.
SOT
45 years ago you remember. looked and walking up
our sidewalk was a priest and a military officer and
we looked at each other and we knew............
SOT
that was really my mission of honor, but it was also
the toughest mission i had in the war.
SOT
never saw jim again, and never heard from him again...until
40 years later.
VO/MINI-DISC
ANYONE WHO HAS EVER BEEN THERE WILL TELL YOU - FOR
THE WARRIOR - WARS NEVER REALLY END.
SOT
you know the horror's of war they never leave you,
they are always with you.
VO/MINI-DISC
WHICH IS WHY JIM CRIGLER IS HERE.
SOT
i'll be honest, i pray a lot on the river.
VO/MINI-DISC
FITTING THAT - ON A GREAT RIVER - HE IS ON A GREAT
MISSION - AND COMING HOME.
SOT
good to see you sir, thank you for coming. thank
you for coming, good to see you.
VO/MINI-DISC
WHAT THIS IS ABOUT IS HONORING GOLD STAR FAMILIES
AND SAYING THANK YOU - AND FINDING WHAT WAS ONCE LOST.
SOT
tom's here. absolutely.
VO/MINI-DISC
JIM CRIGLER'S MISSION DIDN'T START ON THIS RIVER -
IT BEGAN 45 YEARS AGO IN VIETNAM - WITH TOM.
SOT
he's become like a brother to us and tom lives through
him.
VO/MINI-DISC
THE PACT THEY ONCE MADE - A PROMISE TO MAKE SURE THE
OTHER GOT HOME.
SOT
for me its been 45 years. i get to paddle off the
war.
VO/MINI-DISC
AND WITH EACH STROKE OF THE PADDLE - JIM MOVES FARTHER
FROM WHERE HE'S BEEN - AND CLOSER TO HOME.
SOT
when we get done with all this, jim gets done with
this trip, we'll be better.
VO/MINI-DISC
ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
SOT
so i feel pretty safe out there.
VO/MINI-DISC
THIS IS DAVE DELOZIER, WISC, NEWS 3.
-- CHARLOTTE --
AS JIM CRIGLER TRAVELS DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI - HE
IS PRESENTING GOLD STAR COINS TO GOLD STAR FAMILIES
THAT HE MEETS.
JIM HAS ALSO WRITTEN A BOOK ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE
IN VIETNAM.
-- ERIC --
MONEY HE RAISES FROM THE BOOK AND OTHER DONATIONS
WILL GO TO HELP GOLD STAR FAMILIES AND VETERANS.
FOR INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN DONATE OR GET HIS
BOOK - GO TO CHANNEL 3000 DOT COM.

Vietnam veteran honors Gold Star families on a river of healing

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