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Soldiers stand with one of their ownOct 29, 2008 (The Fayetteville Observer - McClatchy-Tribune Business News via COMTEX) -- Bob Coghill is 68 years old. He fought in the Vietnam War. He served three decades in the Army. And he still has someone he calls a hero -- John McCain. Standing outside the Crown Coliseum on Tuesday afternoon awaiting McCain's rally, Coghill's eyes began to well up when he considered his military bond with the Republican candidate for president. "I have red, white and blue in my blood, along with the Army green. I'm a dedicated American, and I would serve my country again any day," Coghill said. "John McCain's served this country. And he's ready to serve it again." There were plenty of Bob Coghills throughout the crowd. And there were plenty of future Bob Coghills, too. A few miles from Fort Bragg, McCain was greeted warmly by a large contingent of soldiers and veterans when his bus pulled into the Crown. McCain served in the Navy and survived a prisoner-of-war camp in Vietnam. Midway through his speech, McCain paused and asked for all veterans to raise their hands. A sea of arms shot up, overshadowing for a moment the red noise-making thundersticks that were handed to the crowd prior to the rally. Among the hands were those of John Mims, who survived the Bataan Death March in World War II, in which 17,000 prisoners died in a 65-mile march to a training camp in Japan. Col. Bill Richardson, a former Special Forces soldier who spent nearly 40 years in the military, raised his hand, too. They weren't all retired, either. Active-duty Sgt. Anthony Alig, 31, rushed to the coliseum after work for the chance to see McCain. He changed from fatigues into a sweater and jeans while his wife, Sarah, drove. McCain's experience as a POW resonates with soldiers, said Alig, who has served two tours in Iraq. That shared bond creates a trust that McCain will do right by the military, he said. "I can't see him taking anything away from me," Alig said. "I just relate to McCain more." Also raising his hand was retired Sgt. Maj. Frank Foster, who served for 72 months in Vietnam after spending 23 months in Korea. A few years ago, Foster wrote a letter to President Bush, volunteering to re-enlist. "Mr. President, I might be 75," Foster wrote, "but don't judge my courage by my age." While all the hands were raised, McCain thanked the veterans and active-duty soldiers for their service. Then he touted his experience in combat as a reason he should be elected president. For many of those who raised their hands, that experience was enough. "I would support any man that's been under fire at any time while serving for the country," Foster said. Staff writer John Ramsey contributed to this report. Staff writer Michael N. Graff can be reached at [email protected] or 486-3591. To see more of The Fayetteville Observer, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.fayettevillenc.com/. |