ABC 7
CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. (KABC) -- It was a special Veterans Day reunion for three men who served in the same Army unit in Vietnam.
The reunion was nearly 60 years in the making! Gil Carrillo and Lawrence Smith were reunited with their Captain, Thomas Stempky, at a Veterans Day ceremony at VFW Post 1944 in the City of Industry on Tuesday.
Smith was a helicopter pilot, Carrillo was a crew chief and Stempky led them.
All three men served in the same army unit in Vietnam. Vintage footage shows the crew together back in 1968.
Now, 57 years later, their brotherhood is just as strong today as it was when they were all in combat together.
"I was blessed to be with these guys. The first thing I told Tom was that I wanted to thank him for getting me back alive," Carrillo said.
The trio helpe