Our Veterans
In honor of those who served our country in the armed forces, this San Marino Tribune article begins a series of individual salutes to our courageous veterans.
By Mitch Lehman
Whenever the subject of military service comes up, Rick Caldwell remains quiet, composed.
At one point in the conversation, however, the longtime San Marino resident will declare “we were just ordinary people, placed in extraordinary circumstances.”
For the record, Caldwell is never the one who brings up the subject.
He received his draft notice on July 15, 1968 while a 20-year-old college student working at the First National Bank of Atlanta to pay for tuition.
“I called my dad and told him I was drafted,” Caldwell said. “I was joking around and I said I was thinking of going to Canada with my anti-war friends. My dad said ‘how old are you?’ I said 20 – he said, you are a man, it’s your decision.”
For the full story, see the print edition of the San Marino Tribune, or download the e-edition.
