Phil “Country” Crowley
IN MEMORY OF THOMAS EDWARD “MAILMAN” SORG SR
September 2, 1946 – July 18, 2011
It was a long time ago; a time remembered in history and remembered in the hearts and minds of those who were there… Vietnam. This boy who would soon become a man boarded a plane and hours later landed in this God-forsaken place. This place would change his life forever. It is funny; we were not old enough to legally drink alcohol but we were old enough to kill. We were all old enough to kill; old enough to die, and when our tour was over would return to an ungrateful nation being labeled murderer and a “baby killer.”
Mailman was one of many that went to this land: never questioning his obligation to God or his country and, in spite of frightful thoughts that were in his mind, he went. Did he think it was the right thing to do? Who knows what went through his mind at this turning point in his life. Who knew the horrors that would invade his mind for the rest of his life?
Mailman was a proud member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade; bravely fighting an invisible enemy and only God knows what he endured in the “Nam”. This was his job; this is what he was trained to do and he did it without question. True to the tradition of the military, he never left a brother behind in combat, and he never left a brother behind in life in the “world.”
Mailman returned to a nation that spat on him, called him a murderer, called him a baby killer, and turned their back on this hero. He may not have thought of himself as a hero, but anyone; regardless of what their job was during wartime was a hero.
Mailman went on with his life and the only time he looked back was in his mind as all of us do. He endured countless years of nightmares of the things that he saw and the only people that understood were the veterans that had “been there and done that.”
Mailman loved life and he lived it to the fullest making many friends and memories along the way. He loved his motorcycle and he loved all of his brothers that had served and he was never more than a phone call away. He was a true friend.
Mailman was one of the original brothers of In Country Vets Motorcycle Club, which later came to be known as In Country “Vietnam” Motorcycle Club. He was the man that first introduced me to the life style of belonging to a motorcycle club.
I met Mailman about 7 years ago and came to love and respect him and I learned from him the real meaning of brotherhood. I learned a lot from this crazy but funny man and I will always cherish his memory as I recall the fun times that all of us were able to share with him.
While death has claimed another one of us, he will always be alive in our hearts and in our soul and we will miss him dearly.
As we pay our final tribute to our Brother, let us remember what he has done for God, Country, his brothers in Arms, and his family. He has stood tall and proud in the face of ridicule and adversity. He joins a Band of Brothers, who have taken their rightful place in Heaven and all of us that have “been there and done that” also will join our Heavenly Band of Brothers in God’s Kingdom when our time comes.
Death took our Brother from us, but let us praise and remember Mailman for the happiness that he brought to so many lives. We are sad, yet we are happy that he no longer suffers, and is now with “Dollar”, “Poopy Dog”, “Snap”, “Gunner”, and many of the ICMC Brothers that have left us. No doubt in our mind that they are riding the heck out of their bikes on those Golden Highways of Heaven! If there is an “Island Grill” in Heaven, Mailman will find it!!
It has indeed been an honor to have known you and call you “Brother.”
Rest in Peace Brother… Thank You… Welcome Home… Ours was a Noble Cause.
©Copyright July 20, 2011 by Phil “Country” Crowley