83-year-old Marine vet honors promise to Vietnam War buddy by attending funeral in full dress blues

Just when you start to think society’s coming apart at the seams, a story comes along showing us there are still real heroes.

Retired Marine Master Sgt. William H. Cox promised his lifelong friend, Marine First Sgt. James “Hollie” Hollingsworth, that he would stand beside his casket in his full dress blues. When Hollingsworth passed, Cox made good on his word, Greenville Online reports.

The two men met in 1968 on their way to the center of the Vietnam War. While in a bunker in the country’s Marble Mountains, the pair made a pact in the heat of battle.

“If we survived this attack, or survived Vietnam, we would contact each other every year on New Year’s,” Cox recalled.

Cox and Hollingsworth served side-by-side throughout the war as members of the VMO-2 Marine helicopter squadron. Hollingsworth was a mechanic and a door gunner and Cox was an ordnance chief and a door gunner.

Cox developed a saying during their missions: “Hollie, you keep ‘em flying, and I’ll keep ‘em firing.”

After the war, the two men stayed true to their word, keeping in touch every New Year’s. Often they would visit each other.

When Cox learned his old friend was ill, he went to see him. It was then that he received a special commission: to stand guard at Hollingsworth’s casket and deliver a eulogy at his funeral.

“Boy, that’s a rough mission you’re assigning me to there,” Cox told his friend.

After Hollingsworth crossed to the other side, Cox kept his promise. The 20-year Marine Corps. vet and recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross explained the deep relationship between him and Hollingsworth.

“There’s a bond between Marines that’s different from any other branch of service. We’re like brothers.”

Cox (left) and Hollingsworth (right) kept in touch for five decades after serving together in the Vietnam War. Source: Facebook.

Cox closed his eulogy with his oft-repeated saying, reminiscing on the days he and his friend served together.

“Hollie, you keep ‘em flying, and I’ll keep ‘em firing.”

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

BPR INSIDER COMMENTS

Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!

Latest Articles