Comments for Very Special Forces: Page 1

Hi Jerry. What do I think? I think you were pranked. That experience doesn't appear supernatural in my experience.
In most cases recently departed spirits appear to loved ones, close family and friends. They suddenly appear very briefly, usually in the early am hours (often in very vivid dreams) then vanish
The fact that this chap didn't know you, had never met you but simply wanted to meet a relative just sounds..., odd. Then instead of vaporising in front of you, he simply went and had a lie down.
That's what I think. Hope I've helped you in some way in understanding this peculiar experience.
Peace, Mack

I don't have any tests for you. But... I like to know the kind of stuff the government doesn't usually share to the public. My fiance's Pappaw owns a pilot car business my fiance work's for him. But back in the day Pappaw used to work for a man who used to be a very high ranked army guy (not sure what you call them). That was retired and started a truck driving business, anyway they would take a lot of runs to area 51 and Pappaw has told me stories and boy are they interesting! I guess my question is would you have any stories like that? That wouldn't get you into trouble to share?

-- kaykay3313. --
No reason to be sorry and I didn't think you were still testing me. But if so I like that, what do you want to know?

Um I guess it's just kind of cool to hear about that kind of stuff if I ever talked to an active duty member I would probably have 50 other questions too. I know it kind of seemed like I'm still trying to validate your authenticity trust me I'm not. I also realize the question's don't have anything to do with your story. I'm sorry.

-- kaykay3313 forgot to answer your question. It was about the time that the military decided to increase troop strength over there. I was right at the very beginning of that and it was easy to go. It helped me change assignments if it did nothing else for me.

Kaykay3313. That form, the 1049, became two newer versions, a 2496, and a 1088, just prior from me retiring back in November 1990. That gives me another anniversary to celebrate, this being November. But it's not important for you to know any of that, or try and remember any if that. It's truly not important. Why exactly are we even discussing this, do you remember?

Oh wow 😁 I'm happy my guess was right! Not stupid at all ha! Jerry I didn't know of any such form but it's always nice to learn. I want to ask an active duty member if they still do that. Also Jerry do you think they let you leave Germany because they really needed the help in Vietnam?

-- kaykay3313 --
Actually you're mostly correct. Once reassignment orders are issued, a soldier was/is expected and obliged to comply until otherwise directed. Sometimes such assignment could run into years.

It seemed to me, looking back, the army used to be far less stringent in keeping a person on station (don't know about today time, been out too long) as there was a prescribed military form that was designed to be voluntarily submitted whenever a soldier got itchy feet and wanted to move on to a new duty location. It was called a DD Form 1049. I use to hear people say they hated it so badly here they couldn't wait to 1049 out. Didn't mean the army was automatically going to approve same, but there was a procedure, nevertheless.

I will add that money, time and effort, and rules and regulations are all considerations when it comes to relocating military members. Common sense also might come into play. Reassignment are controlled centrally today (Washington, DC - I actually worked there for a few years) and soldiers move to new locations sometimes with only minimal lead time Some locations, overseas stays being such example, length of time required to stay are already predetermined and there is just no getting out of same. Volunteering for duty such as was Vietnam, in my time, was an exception to all rules. As was in my case all the money and time and regulations were waived when I moved from Germany (what was to be a 36 month tour) when I shipped out only after serving about 12 months there. Vietnam was an exception. No getting out of there, however, no DD Form 1049. I went back multiple tours to Germany and stayed full length uninterrupted tours each time over the years. Just so you know you were right in what you said.

I really don't know a thing about the army, no one in my family has ever served (except for my uncle by marriage). And he is a man of few words. I was always under the impression that when the army has you stationed somewhere you must stay there until you've accomplished whatever mission you were given. I guess that's pretty stupid but hey you learn something everyday. 😁

JerryB, thank you so much for your gracious, informative, open-minded response to my query. 😊 It actually did explain things for me to my satisfaction (insofar as a fact-craving proof-hungry person can have satisfaction, haha).

I do truly understand the sense, during an uncanny encounter, of 'Okay, this is drawing to a close, right quick...' It's like it's just something you know.

Thank you again.

Kaykay, I've heard of several of my dad's younger friends being drafted for the Vietnam war (my dad being a bit too old to be drafted, also a schoolteacher, thus I think exempt...?), men who ended up stationed temporarily in Germany at first but -- thankfully! -- didn't get as far as Vietnam. Well, I'm sure Jerry's answers are better. Just saying I have heard the same thing -- Germany as a stop-over or training/holding point before troops were sent to Vietnam.

-- kaykay3313 --
That's perfectly okay, you did nothing wrong questioning. You were being honest and did have an excellent question and no one should ever take offense at same. It was kind of fun thinking back like that. Let me say one more time, it's okay. If you question anything else please do tell me about it. I may have made another dumb mistake and if so would like to correct it. Thanks kaykay3313.

JerryB yes that did anwser my question, I apologize for being intrusive I was just kind of thinking huh I thought he was stationed in Vietnam. Again I'm sorry for questioning you, I was talking to my fiance about your story "strange object in the woods" the other day because I found it very interesting and he made a good point to me. He was saying it's strange that you write on this site a lot being that you are an older gentlemen, Corey's grandfather was supposed to be deployed to Vietnam aswell but was sick with whooping cough when he was called to serve so he wasn't deployed. His grandfather is 75 now and is technically challenged lol he can barely anwser a call on his blue tooth. So I was just trying to be smart and notice thing's that other's may not about your stories. But I do believe your telling the truth the dates seem to match up and all. Please forgive the little bit of doubt I had. P.S. I really love your stories hearing about the army and history is very interesting and I appreciate you serving our country. 😁 Sincerely kaykay3313

Thanks TRUCK --
Sounds like you might know exactly what you're talking about. Even though this young man wasn't actually SF, I do agree with you that the Special Forces were certainly known to be an army within our army, and pretty much did things their way. The right way, I might add. I recall later during my own assignment to Vietnam, one day I was riding with what I'll call normal everyday soldiers in the back of a 2 1/2 ton, one of about 6 or 7 trucks in a convoy headed down this dirt road in the middle of nowhere and we passed a SF soldier all alone and walking down that same road. Hell, I was scared to death where we were, even in the numbers we were in, with individual M14 rifles and so forth... And suddenly there was this single SF soldier with an M16 slung over his shoulder out for what looked to be a Sunday stroll. That stayed in my mind. I have tremendous respect for the SF, they are certainly an elite group and able to take care of business when business needs taking care of.

-- kaykay3313 --
Yes I was in both places. I joined the army in July 1964 and after basic and then advanced training and my first stateside assignment, I volunteered for overseas duty. I was put on a troop ship (the Geiger) and shipped out to Kaiserslautern, West Gemany in early 1965. That's where my story Very Special Forces happened. Since that assignment turned out to be extremely temporary, the Amy shipped me over to Baumholder, West Gemany where (still in 1965) my story Mr. Fire Plug took place. I hated it there in Baumholder for reasons I will not go into and found a way out -- all I had to do was volunteer for oversea duty again (Vietnam) and the army quickly approved my reassignment to same and I left on a jet plane in December 1965 for Vietnam. I spent two weeks home in Illinois over the Xmas holiday and ended up in Vietnam in January 1966. New Year's Day, actually. Very depressing time for me, considering. I stayed my entire year there in Vietnam and after volunteering once again (last time I ever volunteered for anything army related, other than re-enlisting of course) but this time it was a bit different, this time it was to extend my Vietnam assignment wherein I stayed a tad longer (4 months) in country; I left Vietnam in April1967 and was separated (discharged early) from military service. That didn't last long, me being a civilian, that is, so I joined up again in July 1967and stayed a total of 26 years. Retired from active duty in 1990. Nice sharing all that with you. Did that answer your question?

Even with a name he might be hard to find. Special Forces area pretty secretive bunch, especially what they do in the field. Add to it that in the early years of the war most "advisers" were handled more through INTEL and CIA.

Military has a long history of ghosts, just go to any battlefield! Glad he got the chance to say goodbye to someone.

JerryB I thought you served in the war in Vietnam. Your story "Incident on a dirt road" definitely placed you there. So how were you in Germany and in Vietnam? If you were in these places at different times please forgive me but I was under the impression that you were sent to Vietnam during the war.

Hello WillowWaly -- let me start by apologizing for my untimely reply to your inquiry, I just saw it a few minutes ago. I've been monitoring other stories. My bad. No, absolutely no way do I consider your questioning as objectionable. It's not that at all, I find it well thought out and to the point. Good questions.

Yes who in their right mind would not want to sit down with a ghost, especially in the circumstance as I outlined them in my story, and discuss everything that would come to mind in that regard. And more. And me doing otherwise and instead heading for the mess hall for food -- It doesn't make much sense does it. Well let me try and explain --

First of all I believe that whatever time was allowed for BRIDGER to visit with me had basically come to end at the time I closed that door behind me. That I knew this, that he knew this. Instinctively we said our last goodbye, it was beyond either of us to say otherwise, a matter being controlled by a higher power, a matter out of our hands in other words. A bizarre situation but one still being managed, time included, and circumstance from above.

I did try to explain that even though I found the entire matter interesting I also was struggling to accept same as true as it was being told me. Not sure I believed any of it then myself. I did say I got caught up in my two friends Insistence to leave the room; it just seemed the right course of action at the time. BRIDGER was invited by me but it was him that refused to accompany us, saying what he did. And to believe or not to believe was a constant in all this for me anyway. I chose the not to believe road until it was too late. I will let you in on a secret, I was disappointed when I returned to my room and BRIDGER was gone.

I also said I initially considered the matter an elaborate joke (a ruse) and didn't really begin to think otherwise about it seriously until it was too late. Hell yeah I wish I had stayed (now), I would have loved a re-do, a do over, but that just didn't happen.

Good questionIng from you howeve. I'm afraid I just don't have a good explanation, not even one I accept myself in hindsight, especially now believing he was a ghost, a distant relative. An opportunity wasted for sure.

Jerry, I hope my query won't be objectionable to you. But you apparently realized you were talking to the ghost of a recently dead soldier who was possibly related to you (and what a fascinating idea that his spirit found his physically-nearest relative when he died!); and then you found out that neither of your buddies could see him, although he kept talking to you (which is apparent confirmation that he was visible/audible to you only, thus, not corporeal); and then he also specifically told you he'd be there only until you left, but would be gone after that... (?!)

Well, I just don't understand why you would choose to leave the room under those most extraordinary circumstances, rather than continuing to talk to him. I'd surely give up a meal for the chance to probe the mysteries of time and space, or at least the evident presence of a real family ghost.

Hi Jerry:

Yes, "bibliothèque" is French for 'library' (derived originally from Greek, then incorporated into Latin). In Latin, "Bibliothecarius" means "Librarian." In our small private school, I'm the Librarian in addition to being a Literature Teacher. You know how almost everyone knows a guy with a surprising amount of information or trivia which can be completely useless, helpful for a crossword puzzle, or potentially life-saving in dire circumstances? Yeah: I'm that guy, too.

I was raised in a religious household in England, which is why I read an autobiography of a guy who seemed pretty brave to me at the time, but now looks like he's a religious lunatic deliberately provoking the fundamentalist governments of other countries because their religion (s) differ from his. He is -almost certainly- a weirdo. However (from the way he described the incident) he believed that the other person's soul recognised him at the same moment. His explanation was that the instant recognition was a blessing from God; this is with my caveat that he was a religious zealot doing what he believed to be a good deed in a non-violent manner. Oddly, it's his non-violent book-smuggling, as opposed to armaments or drugs, which I still think is a commendable act. I tell prospective parents who visit my Library that there is a broad spectrum of books on the shelves, so if they can browse the room without objecting to a single book, I've not been doing my job! (The only book I've turned down was Warren Jeffs' book of self-appointed prophecies. Had he sent the Book of Mormon, I'd have been happy to catalogue it in next to the Qu'oran, the Bible, the Talmud, etc.)

Take Care,
-Biblio.

Hi Bibliocarius -
A teacher you say, I'm really not that surprised. Who you are comes out in your writings. And that's a good thing. Lucky guess on my part; now if I could only do the same with this week's lottery numbers...

I believe the Biblio part of your ID steered me in my guess, isn't that library in another language, French maybe? Library made me think of books and books, literature. No idea what the last part is, and that's why my thoughts went to 'smart guy' in the room, i.e., probably a teacher. You're teaching me. Thanks again.

I looked up that Bro. Andrews stuff. A guy obsessed with giving away bibles who basd upon his religious beliefs believed he could identify others with similar beliefs by recognition of like-minded spirits, if I got that right. But I wouldn't know about that, I do question it though. Wonder how he would do on a jury? Think he would just know? That's a scary thought.

Hi, Jerry.

I am indeed a high school English teacher and a Librarian. I found the indignant befuddlement of your opening salvo hilarious! Just what I needed at the end of a long day. I always tell my students that, "if you can explain an idea in your own words, you've understood it."

You grasped exactly the point I was making. I think that souls must age in some way, and I do think that they tend to gravitate toward familiar individuals. I have no idea if they can be combined, blended, or rearranged in any way; that's a good question for the theologically-minded on this forum.

While I did state that reincarnation believers tend to think that souls travel through multiple lifetimes together, there's no guarantee stating they have to arrive in the same decade, let alone the same week.

If ever you feel lost when reading something I've written, feel free to ask me to translate it! (I hated teachers who'd just repeat what they said the first time; I put effort into re-wording my concepts and providing different examples than I used earlier.) Failing that, Rook, Tweed, Hecate, Miracles, and Granny are good at decoding my sentences, too!

Take care, and don't be afraid to ask questions! It's the people who don't ask who usually have no clue what's going on.
-Biblio.

Something else comes to my thoughts as to how this incredible story of mine could have any substance about it // and this is what comes to mind, with a disclosure statement upfront me not knowing if there's an ounce of truth in it:

What if the boy's mother worked for the clothing store on post. What let's say she was a cleaning person who would sometimes do her job in the evenings after everyone had gone home for the day. And that sometimes she would take the boy along just for company and at his urging so. The boy might have had a need an obsession to play at being a soldier, and what better place than an army Post exchange clothing store to make himself look like one. They even had full length mirrors for helping gain that well dressed military look.

It would give everything needed to assemble a complete and authentic military uniform, complete with boots, laces, uniforms, belts, buckles, hats, etc., etc. Even the means of acquiring a black plastic name tag, with his own name engraved in white lettering upon it, simply because this was the store all real military used to replentity their own uniform and official dress items; to include all name tags, be it the pin on and/or the cloth sew on variety.

It just seems possible to me. And maybe a bit, no more than a bit made up because I have nothing to base these particulars, but... A young boy able to assemble an authentic military uniform complete with unit identification and in this case the unique green beret that stood out to all of us as if a blinking light was saying Special Forces walking here. Seems possible.

He was about my age and I was in the real army. And seeing him I never questioned otherwise for him, he was in authentic military uniform, boots, hat, and all.

He told me the otherwise was wrong. That he was in fact a civilian. The uniform thing bothered me even then, wondered where he got his? I knew the long process I had gone through for mine. And how could he get that name tag? Are those issued in Heaven? Sorry, an attempt there for humor, but all that truly did go through my mind for the longest time. Where? How? Must have been what he had on when he landed in Vietnam, probably no other uniform to change into. As it turned out it didn't matter. Said it all happened quickly, that all there had been caught by surprise. Best place for that kind of thing, everyone new to the area. I can see that. Enough I suppose.

Don't know where all this came from.

I think I should clarify something I said about us in 1965 not having been involved in Vietnam all that long. Well that's not really true is it. I would think some historians here at this website must have rolled their eyes at me saying that. Administratively I believe it is true but in actuality probably more like 10 years or more involved at that time. Prior to the big push of troops (mid-60's) in that direction the Unitsd States did use SF "Advisors" doing their thing over there advising. I doubt if bullets respected the difference in what that means. So we did have war entanglements going on during that longer stretch and as such there were most likely casualties sustained even among the superior skills of the highly elite SF teams being they too were in harms way doing their advisory thing. Now add to that someone without those skills and at the wrong place at the wrong time with bullets flying all around -- Vietnam was no resort.

Stretching the timeframe certainly adds to the impossible difficulties of pin pointing when BRIDGER actually met his untimely death. I don't want to turn away from knowing more about this young boy, as misguided as he was, whenever it was, but I also understand some things in this world will remain a mystery no matter how hard someone tries to sort out the details.

I want to add that I have always felt that he chose me because, beside the family contact, was the military association and our near age, and both of us away from our homes. That we were linked through a direct lineage regardless of name differences. That would be an ancestry thing I suppose. More than that? Not from me.

-- Otteer
If I should ever turn up missing I would hope you do the locating. You seem to be very thorough, and some of what you said, I too considered. I wondered if he had told me when the Vietnam thing had happened (if I had to guess I'd say he had come right away afterwards, but I'm not sure) and that maybe I've forgotten, but then if I have forgotten it's long gone forever. What I do remember more was him either saying or gave me the impression that his home was in the country. Something about a gravel road and a hill nearby. Him having played there, I think I remember. And of course him mentioning his grandfather.

Now considering what I know about NC there certainly is a lot of countryside. I would think that eliminates very little. Hills? Playing? Grandfather? Of course back in 1965 we hadn't been involved in Vietnam all that long.

If BRIDGER came to me seeking help, I've always felt he chose poorly. Number one, I was in Germany. Number two, my family association was about as disjointed as could be imagined. My side of the family were strangers to me for most part, and that has changed some for the better over the years but not much.

Still what you said about that Joseph has me wanting to look into this further myself. Thank you for that. And for what you have done.

Why I keep coming back to this story I don't know, but spent many hours going through newspaper article headlines for various publications for 1964-1965 in NC regarding missing persons, it was so frustrating because they would give you the title of the article and that was it, then reference where you would find the whole story (library archives, etc.) So, an article heading like "Police have no results in search for missing youth" would yield nothing. Many do list names but usually last names and then you would see follow up headlines where they had been found or located.

My thought was that he must have been reported missing at one time or another, and that would have triggered a search, unless, he confided in a buddy and that buddy came clean after the fact. I'm hoping that would have helped the authorities ID this young man after he was sent home (if he was recovered, many could not be due to circumstances in the battle they fell in or location). Another thought was that he could have materialized many years after he died, so the timeline could be shot as to age and research. Since time is not a factor in the spirit world (unless the universe deems it necessary I guess, like letting loved ones know their connection had JUST passed) this makes it very difficult to ID without that full name lol.

Another thought was that this young man may have firm family ties in North Carolina but actually may have been born in a neighboring state and raised in NC. Another thing to throw us off. Could this young man have known that his situation would have made it impossible to trace him in the future and that it was just imperative to reach out to someone in the family and as said by a previous poster, you frequency was "on" and ready to receive?

Regarding traditional first names of "Bridger",I too saw many Josephs and Williams.

I'm loving the comments and feedback coming from this post.

Jerry I'm SOO glad you got my humour! I walked away from my comment thinking 'oooh heck no, that probably won't translate too well!'

No way, no mess, just my cheeky way of wording an opinion. Which is all everything here really is, opinion. If anyone tells you they're an 'expert' expect them to ask for your credit card shortly after.😉 Thankfully no one like that here. The mods make sure of it. 😊

- Tweed
I mistakenly typed FLOR instead of FOR -- but as it turns out, I'd like to offer that typo as having a ghostly hand involved as an offer of friendship considering flor as it turns out is Spanish/Portuguese for flower. Sorry if I made you sick.
Jerry

- Tweed

Thank you, I enjoyed that take on soul mates and reincarnation. I was hoping to get away with showing my ignorance in those particular areas considering I'm new at discussing these subjects with people that do have a detailed history researching same and many with detailed credentials backing up their research. It is little intimidating. Suppose new isn't an excuse but hey what do I know, I'm no expert here; and I'll let you in on a secret, I'm no expert in anything.

I would hope either of those concepts that cause you to barf hasn't left you with a mess to clean, I would hate to think I was the cause of such considering what spewing/barfing might do to your keyboard and computer screen. Ha, Sorry about that, my humor is often off key.

Thank you flor your continued comments and insight, I appreciate it much.

Hey Jerry and everyone,

The term 'soul mate' fills my mouth with spew. Hope ya'll don't mind me being super blunt.😜

I look at human relations from a psychological point of view.

Think of social masks or the concept of 'screens' and how we all exist with them. There's been many social experiments with highly predictable outcomes in which groups of people who have never met are all put in a room together, and that's it. After a while everyone naturally starts talking, some shy types stay silent. Time and time again EVERYONE gravitates toward like-minded individuals. Regardless of where they're positioned in the room. This shows, with alarming predictability, that we're drawn to people with the same emotional stuff behind the screen as we have behind ours and, likewise, the same emotional stuff in front of the screen; ie what we present to the world in our 'social mask'. Regardless of our differences. Eg: A shy person and an extrovert, seemingly different, may gravitate together and, in these experiments, showed to have strikingly similar emotional 'screens'. Opposites attract when we recognise ourselves in others.

While the idea of 'soul mates' is romantic to many, I was into this concept as a teenager. Now, as an adult, it makes me want to, well, barf. These days, to me, an even more romantic concept is recognising people we jell with based on emotion, which, to me, is the definition of 'soul'. 😊

This is the filter I interpreted this story through. The young soldier and you, both a familial bond and a recognition that you were able to communicate on a level the soldier wanted because you both shared similar emotional screens and lifestyles. No past history required.

Reincarnation also makes me want to barf, however I have a couple memories I attribute to my previous life before this one. None of the people in those memories are ones I wish to know today, nor have I ever experienced recognition of any of them since. I also felt strong self loathing in these memories.
I find reincarnation dismissive of our own natural abilities and drives. We are amazing creatures without validation from a previous life. I believe reincarnation is a choice and one I decline. For the sole reason I interpret it as low self esteem: 'I'm not good enough and need to be rebooted'. Now that I've alienated half the YGS community I'll love you and leave you!

Thank you for your service Jerry and for sharing this special story that rings true for me and which has been saved to favorites.
Many graphic Vietnam era ghost stories have been shared with me by my husband including those of others he knows who were with him in battle as well as aboard ship and who saw the same things including other stories of a Korea vet who is now a retired military psychologist! Also, it's great that there is this anonymous forum for stories such as this because most who have closed minds to the possibility of the unexplained and not easily provable will discredit the messenger. As one friend told my husband: 'What you see, don't say because if you say they say you didn't see' so with people one knows it's always better if the lines of communication are open to discussing the mysterious.
As for the traceability of this young man, at that time in our military history absent the high tech monitoring of ID and procedures we have now it seems entirely possible that many more like him who were underage may have slipped through just as they did in WWI and WWII and yes, because they were civilians if they died in battle they would not find their way into the military death records. Perhaps in records of missing people could reveal information too? I don't know how thorough records would be dating to that time but it may be one way of getting a better fix on his identity too.
My guess as to why he gravitated to you not only because you are a (distant) relative as he stated is probably along the lines of being on the same frequency somehow with one of you being a 'transmitter' and the other being a 'receiver' as with radio.

JerryB
Partly for the humor of it. As I said I believe that souls recognizue each other. I knew I was going to marry him one day but it wasn't love at first sight. I felt I knew him, he admitted he felt he knew me from somewhere. BUT we grew up in different towns and counties. We didn't even have any common friends until we worked together. His girlfriend broke up with him right before the holidays and a couple of hospital parties we were at is all it took for him to ask me out. We have been married for over 30 years and have 3 adult children.
As for your saying that on the other side you say you've met people you've instantly known you didn't want anything to do with. Same thing you're soul recognized this person/people has/have wronged you in the past. I'm a trusting soul (even though I'm am Aries and psychic) so I give people the benefit of the doubt unless I get a psychic alert.
Red

- Biblio
I write again so you might know that I've reread what it is you said about souls. Each time I read I come away feeling better informed, you have a wonderful way of expressing yourself and sound as if you might be an instructor or teacher, maybe a professor of English or literature. You obviously have your act together and if I just shut up and listen I'm sure I will learn more from you. Thanks for taking time to explain the details.

- Biblio
What, am I supposed to comprehend what you just said? That's me trying to be funny saying that. But please understand --

As you know I am a newbie here, obviously in the midst of some with finely tuned skills in the realm of psychic research and development, and I am honored to be here, I mean that. What I was able to grasp, and correct me if I am wrong, is that a soul whose makeup closely matches another, is, or can be, joined throughout existence. Linked, simply put. And if I got that right, I love the concept.

In one of my stories yet to be published I tell how my soul (I suppose that's the part involved, never really though to define it that way) and another's soul came to be joined; however, as you will hopefully come to see, and challenge if you so wish, my age at the time (was about 6 years of age) and the apparent age of the other person/soul was not close by any means. Not knowing exactly how many years different I'd say by at least 50 or more years. Can souls alone be viewed as having age, do you think? I recall the only qualifier being the other had led a decent life on earth and was being offered another lifetime through me, should I agree. The thing was, we were both dead during this initial discussion. Perhaps there were other qualifiers I was not privy to.

I do understand how likenesses can draw another's interest in the realtime world, but then so can differences. Soul mates I think it's called. Would you agree? I've always felt my wife and I shared a spiritual beginning beyond this mortal world, both in same and in opposite interest, and for mainly that connection found each other in this world. However I believe others exist 'out there' as well where I know the same to also be true. Not just one soul mate, which has me confused as the present world preaches one being the magic number in this soul mate regard. But apparently in olden times a man might have any number of wives. I must be missing something in that vastly different formula. Wives vs soul mate, maybe the two don't necessarily have to match. Or maybe, I better stop here.

Beginning to hear myself speak so I'll close now before I really embarrass myself beyond repair, if it's not too late. I do understand why one day in Red's statement makes sense now based upon what you said, and does answer my question. Thank you.

Jerry:
I, too, am impressed with Otteer's rapid research! However, I thought I'd clarify RedWolf's statement, as you had asked, "Is there a reason you shared that you are one day older than your husband?" Yes, there is. RedWolf was advocating for the ability of souls to recognize each other, even if the conscious mind has no clue why a sudden recognition is true. Red was taking the stance that souls reincarnate from the spiritual world to find each other in the physical world. Following this presumption of reincarnation as an explanation of the phenomenon (it makes about as much sense to me as any other attempt to explain it) her birthday being only one day away from her husband's, then, would suggest that one soul became human to learn new experiences in the physical realm, followed almost immediately by the other soul so that they could be together during that learning process. While time is not necessarily an important detail for the world of spirits, human babies take just about 9 months to gestate. Following the line of reasoning of reincarnation, a soul has to inhabit a new body (i.e.; not possess one currently occupied) so for two souls to reunite in the world, they'd have to be born around the same time for any relationship to work in a reasonable manner. I can't say I believe it, as I don't quite buy the initial premise (the birthday coincidence is a post hoc ergo propter hoc connection which is begging the question -assuming the causality of the ideology is accurate, then presenting the chronology as evidence of that causality). **However,** I have no alternate theory with superior evidence.

I have stated elsewhere on this forum that I am agnostic; I have no agenda in the following paragraph, other than corroborating the phenomenon RedWolf described in her statement, but presenting one alternative explanation which I read decades ago. The Protestant Christian Missionary who smuggled Bibles into the USSR, Andrew van-der-Bijl (called "Brother Andrew") describes an incident in his autobiography in which his soul and that of a complete stranger recognised each other without a word, thus the stranger calmly let him into his apartment just before they could have been arrested for carrying contraband books by briskly-approaching Soviet authorities! If you're interested in the book, here's the amazon link to the kindle and paperback editions: amazon.com/Gods-Smuggler-Brother-Andrew/dp/0800796853. It appears the narrative has been expanded since I read it back in the mid-1980s; he's been smuggling Bibles into oppressive fundamentalist-controlled countries SINCE the fall of the USSR.

Either way, Red's concluding thought was connected to her statement, even if that connection was not immediately obvious.

Best,
-Biblio.

P.S.: I had to hyphenate "van-der-Bijl" because using "der" is not permitted on YGS; apparently it is analogous to a "text message" colloquialism, even though Netherlanders (and the Flemish) have been using prepositional tussenvoegsels in their last names since Napoleon's edict in 1811 forced them to abandon the patronymic system. Why the spell-check is prejudiced against Nederlanders, yet permits consistent abuse of possessive apostrophes, is entirely beyond me.

otteer
I can see you really did put yourself into this, very nice of you. About five years ago I discovered a web site that listed Vietnam casualties. I had no luck either. But then again the listing was for actual military casualties, and you and others have read what I've had to say about that.

Something you said in your previous post about that boy Joseph Clinton BRIDGER, the one where no father is listed. I don't know if that's the right name of my ghost relative, I do not remember his first name, just been too many years gone by. But maybe. Here's what peeked my interest; the name you provided; and referring now to that ancestry book I discovered years later; seems the name Joseph does have a long history in my family tree. I suppose that's a super weak clue to go on but I'm not joking for some reason there is a long line of Joseph's among both BRIDGER and Bridges. But for that matter there's also a long line of Williams as well as a Simco and a Drury thrown in for good measure also. Almost 50 years has gone by since that morning, suppose time will just keep right on ticking. Sure not going to stop for this. Thanks again, sir.

Just did a search for Vietnam casualties and no Bridges listed from NC. So, maybe his body was recovered and his identity discovered and he was sent home as a civilian casualty. Those are harder to trace. There were special forces casualties listed but way to far up the chain of command for a kid to fake. Hopefully his body was sent home to be buried by family. Without a first name, search results would only be speculation. (couldnt find any missing persons references that are accessible either.) Maybe you will get lucky and he will come to you in a dream and let you know his full name. May he rest in peace poor kid. Peace out!

Otteer.
I'm impressed. The fact that you jumped right in and started researching this I find amazing. The one where you said no husband listed caused me to recall how much the boy wished to speak of his grandfather. Got the impression from him that his grandfather might have raised him. Wow all you guys that I've encountered so far in this site are amazing. Maybe this story will have an ending someday.

Absolutely loved your story! I've seen a full body apparition who looked just as real as you or I, so I know your experience could have happened, and I do believe it did.
It also triggered the researcher in me, I spent 2 hours looking up Bridger born from 1946-1948 in NC, quite a lot, seems to be a common name. What isn't common is a child born near FOrt Bragg, found one in Beaufort county in 1948, boy born to native NC woman with no husband listed. Research was limited as seems to me if you don't have Ancestry.com you have to use a library data access. I found info on family search. HIs name was Joseph Clinton Bridger, born 143 miles from the FOrt. Fell asleep before I could do any more research like high school year books. Any way, thank you so much for sharing, what a special experience you were blessed with!

❤ sorry about typing, on teeny keyboard!

Bibliothecarius
Thank you, it's nice to know someone with experience finds no fault with my story as I've told it. I'm not so naive as to not question my own recollection of the happening, I know what I saw and what I heard, but even that said I will never feel personally 100 percent about it myself... Mainly because of the subject. Ghost, in my mind rank right alongside UFO encounters, and I believe in both, but not all sightings and understand it's hard for some people to get their mind around the subjects. Let me say I'm around 99 percent with my own story, considering. Prior to this happening, and a time or two afterwards, there are other accounts I've tried my best to report upon. Those stories have not yet been published here, but I have hope, and if they are will most likely bring good folks, skeptical folks, out of the woodwork as this particular ghost story did in a couple of instances. It's no problem, that's okay with me.

But whoever you are, let me say now that anything, except downright insults of course, that you might say in questioning (or offer in hopes of making sense out of my experiences) will not be received by me in anger. I sincerely welcome your comments or I would not have posted here. I ask that everyone keep an open mind with the idea that anything is possible. Again thanks to you and all that have commented accordingly. I really do appreciate it.

RedWolf.
Yes, I understand what you're saying about meeting someone and having that feeling of a familiar vibe about it. I've had that experience over the years. Might even account for that old saying about love at first sight. Actually, taking the opposite view, I've seen people and just knew I didn't want anything to do with them. However, that might be a flaw in my personality in that last regard.

Is there a reason you shared that you are one day older than your husband?

Thanks Caz. Misery loves company I suppose. Thing is as I reread what it was I said, I've found there are other word replacements I hadn't intended. Thought best just to let it be.

Lol Jerry... I can sympathise! I practically never notice a mistake until right after I've pressed 'publish'...even though I 'do' use the preview button! Doh!

I then wrote if time // again typo // meant short period of time. I am so sorry to add to the confusion in all this. Gotta truly use that PREVIEW button, knowing that's what it's for. My sincere apologies.

I wrote shoe period of time // typo // sorry. Meant short period if time.

Something else to relay as regards this young boy, who was about my age at the time, who claimed he through some trickery had joined with a group of real SF.

I hope that I didn't give the false impression that when he said he had joined with the group it wasn't as a full-blown participant, going to work and engaging in daily ongoing conversations with real SF personnel. No, I got the impression that he slipped in among the group as it was boarding an airplane (most likely at Pope Air Force Base which adjoined Fort Bragg, military locations sitting side by side each other there in NC).

Having since myself been associated with the military I can envision a group of soldiers waiting in a room where all have the same purpose and that is simply waiting for the announcement to board the plane. They all move basically as a 'group' towards the door when directed to do so. Not a mass rush, necessarily, to move it along, but a steady line of folks getting up from where they might be seated in the waiting room and moving into line as the single line floods down the corridor and onto unassigned seats on the airplane. Depending upon the hour (perhaps a flight departing late at night, early in the morning) may have made this easier, more possible as all are tired and simply not expecting anyone would be there who shouldn't be there.

Finding a seat and minding one's own business -- who knows, it either works or it doesn't. According to BRIDGER, if there is any truth to what he said, in his particular case it did.

As I said earlier herein I personally never encountered anyone being called out for doing something this drastic, but do believe anything is possible. Even this might ring true. Would I do it, no I would not. Would I expect such thing, no I would not.

But considering my own experiences in boarding military aircraft years and years ago, I'm not so sure it wouldn't have been possible as some of you suggest. Not everything is as perfect as you might like to think.

Once I was on a military flight, where I knew no one else, and because of mechanical problems we (all military -- I think, ha) were taken off the plane, and after a short interval sent to another plane where it all happened again. The final boarding put us on an airplane without air conditioning on the runway and no heat in the air. Very uncomfortable time. And my point is that during this repeated shuffle anyone could have joined in as there was no ticket checking or passenger verification happening.

My own airplane ride to Vietnam I do not recall anyone checking a ticket, at the military terminal to make sure I was who I was. Probably because that was done earlier at the time of check in and processing. Could someone have slipped in afterwards? Don't know. If so, I would have liked them to have taken my place if they were that dead set on going. But no, didn't happen, sadly.

Telling you all this, I seriously believe that regardless of safety precautions or whatever you would like to label it -- anything is possible.

Not necessarily in keeping on subject but to explain further that not all things are perfect -- I remember hearing about a real soldier's brother (a civilian) that assumed his identity and no one was the wiser until he was eventually caught. Why they did that, you'd have to ask them. Was it possible? It happened.

If you see someone in military uniform -- do you ever question they are who they truly are? My example of the two brothers switching identity seemed to gave worked if only for a period of years. Daily interacting. In BRIDGER's case a much shorter time from a single one way airplane ride from one location to another, And that shoe period of time ended quite badly for him, if he wasn't lying I mean.

JerryB
Welcome to Y.G.S. And thank you for your service to our Country all those years ago. I loved your story it's going into my favorites.
As for the boy that showed himself to you in a S.F.uniform he said that as he lay there dieing he begged to see a relative one last time and that was you. I have the belief that souls recognize each other. As he lay there dieing asking to see a relative life last time he went to you as your soul was the nearest that he recognized as a relative.
This may sound silly or stupid to some. But think about it. How many times have you met someone and instantly felt that you know them? Or have an instant attraction to? I don't believe this is a coincidence, and I don't think that I ever did. The minute I met my husband I knew that he was the man I was going to marry. He had a girlfriend at the time but a year later she broke up with him. We got together soon after. My now deceased father in-law admitted that the minute he met me he knew I was the right woman for his son. By the way I am a day older than my husband. ❤
Red

Greetings, Jerry.

As a critical reader of narratives and a habitual debunker of fraudulent narratives, I must inform you that I find your narrative to be an honest retelling of the events as you remember them. The indicator to me that you are being as truthful as time and memory permit is the consistently skeptical tone of your experience. You recall the events as being peculiar at the time, but -from what I can see- there is no effort to make the narrative more tense, more exciting, or more supernatural than the details you recall with clarity. The fact that Bridger was somewhat confused too, I would suggest, helps to corroborate your narrative.

An intriguing story, well told.
-Biblio.

FYI to those interested, the name tag or more correctly name plate of that time was engraved worn with dress uniform. Fatigue name tags were called name tapes and were generally stenciled, and sewn on.

Valkricry
I believe you're right; I would want to know if my grandson just disappeared one day without word. Not that finding out something this horrific would help me deal with it. Being related could help manage in the telling this, I suppose. I don't know truly know how it would be accepted, might even make things worse. I'm not sure I believe me saying that last part, not really. Wish I could remember more about him, his first name for example, the name of his town. Not sure what I would do. But thank you for expressing your concern in this matter. Based upon what you say, I believe you to be a good person.

Thanks to all of you, even the ones that feel something is fishy in my ghost story. At least even you seem to acknowledge the possibility of ghost and that I might have seen one.

I find it odd however that you question the ghost and the story he told me. Not that I'm lying but instead the ghost lied to me.

I find it laughable that although you seem to believe in ghost you are having difficulty believing anyone alive might steal away on a military airplane. I will agree with the idea that doing so is highly unusual; I spent 26 years total in the active army and never heard of anyone else having done so. That said, I believe it's possible. Anything is possible.

As to BRIDGER doing the lying, he did clarify three points // that he wasn't SF // that he wasn't even old enough to be in the army // that he wished he'd not tricked anyone and stayed home in NC (with his loved ones there).

How can you challenge any of that? Even he seemed unsure why he was in my room. And surprised he had jumped from Vietnam and was speaking with me in Germany.

What I honestly personally found the most questionable at the time was his claim we were related. I know hat must sound strange to you but I grew up in a family in Illinois where everyone had a last name other than mine, I had a step father and step brothers. My only connection to the Bridges side of the family lived in Kentucky, my real father, grand parents, aunts, uncles. No one there (Illinois and or Kentucky) named BRIDGER I was aware of, and certainly no connection to North Carolina that I could imagine.

Honesty beyond that -- I don't know.

For the longest time I wanted to reach out to the grandfather that BRIDGER mentioned, very sad in his telling me of him but obviously equally proud at the same time. I believe that time has slipped away considering the years past.

WillowWaly...Of course he was... Bridger was a spirit! If you read all the comments...you'll get my drift!

PS...What's even more amazing, is that these 3 comedians managed to pull all this off while keeping a straight face! LOL...

Caz, what two guys? Only Jerry was able to see BRIDGER according to the story.

I don't know how military plastic name tags are made, or were made in the 1960s... But I know when I was a server at a restaurant in the 80s, we played pranks on each other with the tag-making machine, creating nonsense names, etc.

So these two guys manage to conjure up this kid in a legit SF uniform, complete with a legit looking name tag with the name BRIDGER on it in 3 days? Then the kid tells Jerry some concocted shaggy dog story and just throws in the info that the family name was changed from BRIDGER to BRIDGES years ago and it takes Jerry 10 years to discover that this is 'actually true'? WOW...That's some prank! Hmmm... ((rolling eyes))

Jerry,
I have tried several times to compose a comment to your story. However for personal reasons, my emotions get in the way. I think perhaps BRIDGER wants you to locate his family, and let them know what happened to him. Of course you can't just drop it on them, but... I don't know. I just think they should know.

JerryB, Agua didn't say you were lying. 😢 The only time s/he used the L word was suggesting the ghost might have lied to *you*.

As far as I can tell, the reason for wondering that is a good one, because I think everyone in the discussion (including you) finds it difficult to see how a teenager pulled off the incredible feat of passing for a special forces soldier in the American military in the 1960s and getting sent all the way to Vietnam. A Civil War era teenager running off to fight with the boys in gray a hundred miles away, sure. It can, and did, happen. But a hundred years later and halfway around the world? Much harder to do.

You know... Maybe he was a real young soldier who got killed, and his ghost really did find you, but he manifested in a Green Beret uniform because he preferred a more romanticized version of the story of his short overseas soldiering and tragic youthful death. He may even have believed it himself. Hopefully that thought makes some sense, I'm not sure how to put it.

Aqua
I'm not upset even if my writings seem to suggest same. The word 'lie' does have a way of making me less than agreeable, but not upset, not with you, not over this story. I seriously enjoy discussing possibilities here, just not comfortable turning away when it is said I am perpetuating a lie, knowingly or otherwise.

OK Jerry. Sorry you're so upset. Certainly isn't worth my getting you upset.

I'm sorry you don't believe that I believe you experienced this - I promise, I have no reason to lie about believing you. I just don't believe what you experienced was a ghost or if it was, that the ghost was telling you the truth - but I do believe you believe every bit of it. I don't know how much plainer I can make that.

Best wishes.

Since you apparently wish to continue dissecting my story, ruffled feathers aside, please consider this if you will // you weren't there and seem to be saying that I was duped into believing this ghost encounter as nothing more than a couple of good old boys 'yanking my chain' -- isn't that how you put it?

Let me say again, you were not there. You did not see where I was at the time. You did not see or interact with those two soldiers I tried to discuss this with. You did not see or hear any of this and would know nothing of it had I not shared same with you.

I appreciate your questioning, that's a healthy approach to most things, to question, but it can also become down right aggravating if question after question is applied without offering any alternative other than taking the position that lies are involved.

I mention Fort Bragg and you said most people know the location of Fort Bragg... So there you go...

My point was that Fort Bragg, not hiding from anyone, but a major military installation in the same state as the young boy lived in would certainly make it a tad easier for him to get to Fort Bragg in NC than let's say him getting to Fort Dix, NJ. Not that Fort Dix would be impossible BUT Fort Dix for example had no SF whereas Fort Bragg does/did And he claimed to have impersonated a soldier assigned to the SF. That lent credence to a tiny portion of his story in my mind.

You weren't in my room, you didn't see, you didn't hear any of it -- please don't jump to conclusions and assume someone is lying. As to you repeating you BELIEVE me, I say you DON'T.

One more thing to say in this regard: Here's a young guy walking around in dress green uniform with green beret and bloused boots in my room in Germany back then when SF (a real ones that is) shouldn't be in Germany, not at Kaiserslautern, not in a non-SF unit, not in a unit deactivating that had no requirement for SF to begin with not then not ever.

Jerry,

It is apparent that I've ruffled your feathers and that you are heavily invested in this experience. Your defensive response lends even more credibility to your narrative. I've already said, I BELIEVE you actually experienced this.

Yes, I was aware that a Special Forces Group has been at Ft. Bragg since the early 60s - I'm pretty sure most military personnel were aware of that at the time as well.

As to your ancestral home being in NC, well, my Wife and I are both really genealogy buffs and the further you go back, the more ancestors you have, and the fewer states there were at the time for them to have originated from. In fact, just on my Dad's side, I can trace my Smiths and at least a generation of his Mom's Colemans to North Carolina. So that, in itself, is not unusual at all.

As to the similar names - okay, I have no explanation for that beyond coincidence.

The thing that was so unreal about it to me though is the same flaw you find with the event - how did some kid, not in the army, end up in combat with the most disciplined unit in the military? Couldn't happen - he would have been culled / discovered at every turn and sent home. NOW, I guess since we're dealing with the incredible here, perhaps the ghost was lying to you - who knows.

For about the 4th or 5th time, I DO BELIEVE you. I also believe either your buds were pulling your leg or the ghost was.

Jerry...That did cross my mind when I read the story and I did wonder 'why you'! I've heard soldiers shot in battle often cry out for their mother! I do have a theory about that though! You are obviously 'gifted', so perhaps you are the only one in your family he could have 'connected' with! At the instant he passed, he would've been met by others to guide him! Perhaps they knew this and brought him to you! I can almost imagine them waiting patiently 'in the wings', while he fulfilled his last wish and your conversation ended! It may be worth while to check for boys gone missing in North Carolina around that time... If that's possible! I wish you luck and look forward to your other stories!

Still a free country and everyone entitled to their own opinion. And that's the way it should remain. Let's put aside something as unbelievable as my story is for a moment realizing how absurd it sounds, and examine things that we know for sure -- because our eyes tells us -- like for example the sky is blue and the world is flat -- we can see that for ourself easily enough can't we. Only problem with that is -- not so.

Just relaying the story as I came to hear it. Interacting with BRIDGER happened, and you thinking someone pulled my leg, no problem, I did initially also. By the way that movie quoted (It's a Wonderful Life) was just a movie.

Here's something for you to consider in case you missed it in my story:
The young boy's name and my ancestral name being the same. I have a book to prove it. His family location and my ancestral family location being the same, I.e., North Carolina. Again that book. You think he just guessed those things? I had no idea at the time he was right. And by the way his home of North Carolina just happens to be the home of Fort Bragg (and still is today as far as I know) the home of the 5th Special Forces Group. All coincidence, I suppose. I think not.

Agua--I completely understand where your coming from. I will admit when I first read this account it stretched credibility. However there are elements to it that do suggest it was an apparition and not three guys pulling a joke on unsuspecting Jerry.

Jerry does mention that the two guys he left the room with probably did think he was nuts. He received new orders the next day and never saw the two again. As there were very few people remaining at the facility, it would seem likely Jerry would have seen this third "person" if it had been of the flesh and blood variety.

There are several well reported cases where one person "sees" an apparition while other people in a room, for instance, do not. It's an intriguing aspect of many reported cases of apparitions. The famous Cheltenham ghost appeared to many people, on some occasions multiple people could see it simultaneously while on other occasions only one woman perceived it. Actually, the young woman who saw it in the parlor of her family's home while others couldn't perceive it had the apparition in clear view for a half hour before it walked out of the room and vanished by a side door.

I agree with you though that it is good to have a healthy skepticism in any reported case of a ghost, especially such a complex and involved visitation. There is just something that rings true to me about this account and its similarities to at least one other well documented case.

Manafon1 - OK. It wasn't just the involved conversation. The guy was sitting on the bed while Jerry's new found friends were in the room, seemingly unable to see him, repeatedly insisting no one is there, and rather than ask Jerry more about it, they brush it off as "crazy talk" - let's go out. If someone was seeing things in the room I was in that I couldn't see, not only would I be extremely interested in that, at least up until the moment I thought they were crazy, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to "go out" with them either if they were that apparently unstable.

Again, I BELIEVE Jerry experienced this for the reason I stated in my previous comment, I just suspect his buds were yanking his chain.

Agua--Although uncommon there are credible and well documented cases that The Society of Psychical Reseach have compiled (many of which have been published in their books and Proceedings) where apparitions have appeared, sometimes to multiple witnesses, for up to thirty minutes.

In an earlier comment I left about JerryB's story, I mentioned the similarities to a very well documented case that has several striking similarities. In that case there were several words exchanged and the apparition appeared to be a living human being. Admittedly JerryB communicated with the apparition of the young man he encountered for much longer but there are rare instances where this has been noted.

Also, I must add that I BELIEVE you. I think if someone were going to make something up, they'd have had a far easier time just writing that the guy was a green beret and leave it at that. But I think someone was pulling your leg. Outside of movies like "it's a wonderful life", I've never heard of such a prolonged interaction with and observation of a ghost.

Jerry,
It seems impossible that some kid could just stow away or whatever, and end up in the middle of what was undoubtedly at that time a clandestine operation with a special forces group in Vietnam. I understand that's what he told you, and I understand why you could rightly have no explanation for it - there is none.

I think someone was pulling your leg, frankly.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
I feel compelled to tell you something that I discovered just today in discussing this story with my wife and daughter -- There is something seriously missing from the young man's story as I told it to you here. And the heck of it is, I believe it speaks to the heart of why he came to visit with me in the first place.

Chock it up to my inability to fully explain the details of young BRIDGER's story, although I have tried over the years, an important piece somehow has gotten lost by me in the telling.

As I understand it, when he said he wasn't even old enough to be in the army that's because he truly wasn't in the army. He wasn't a soldier, he only appeared to be a soldier.

His name tag was real, his military uniform was real, the catch being he was a civilian. He had never been to basic training, he had never attended advanced individual training -- He was no soldier, only appeared to be one because he was dressed like one; that and as he said, he certainly wasn't Special Forces.

He did say that by means of some trickery he managed to join in with a real group of SF; how he did that or where he managed to get his uniform from is a mystery to me, but he claimed he did this as part of a misguided adventure seeking his own, be it confused, excitement of participating in a war. Probably not much different than a young boy's understanding of the false realities of what war truly is. It's not a game. And I guess in the end he learned that better than most.

This complicates the situation in that the real SF there at the time in Vietnam had what appeared to be a dead soldier but a dead soldier without any chain of identification. I suppose similar to an unknown soldier.

But again he was no soldier. Just a dead young boy with no military history, no identification, just an empty uniform so to speak. That, and finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, shot dead, with no next of kin to be notified back home simply because no one there in Vietnam knew who he truly was. A dead young boy far from his home, playing at being a soldier.

Only we know beyond any of that because he told me so. After the fact.

Ancestry.com
Great suggestion, I will pursue it. Thank you.

This is a fascinating account JerryB and left me wanting to read more. Please do re-submit your other accounts.

Have you tried using the Ancestry.com website to see if you could track down this family member? I've heard they occasionally have some "free" days where anyone can check out their family history without being charged and as a matter of fact heard an ad for it last night on the tube.

JerryB--From the hundreds of cases I have read over the years of apparitions appearing to people, it is just as likely to experience a ghost that looks like a living human being as one that is only partially visible/transparent to some degree/exhibiting an internal luminosity/with a deathly pallor and so on. I saw an apparition when I was in my early twenties that I completely assumed to be a living person until it was simply gone.

With your experience it makes sense that the soldier appeared to you as what you assumed was a living person and not as a "stereotypical" ghost, as he wanted to convey a message to you and not have you running away in fear! Thanks again for sharing your incredible experience and for answering my questions.

JerryB - I honestly don't know but try one and see if it works. There are 30+ stories in queue right now so it'll take a few days to work our way to it, but if you're game to experiment, so am I 😆 I just would hate for you to resend all of them and find out we are unable to do anything with them 😕

TO MIRACLE51031
Thank you. Although this may not be the best means for off line questioning, I must ask: Can I simply return the individual target emails where my stories were returned by YGS Webmaster? Or will they get lost in among the reading burden you already have should I do so?

JerryB - thank you for responding. I just needed confirmation that these are indeed your experiences and not someone taking credit for them. Unfortunately this happens a lot. So, that being the case, if you would like to resubmit those I returned this morning I will be happy to publish them for you 😊 And good luck in the contest 😉

I never doubted the validity of your experiences. I was just trying to make sure someone else wasn't taking advantage of you and your experiences.

TO MODERATOR MIRACLES 51031.
My apologies but I have gone to my Facebook account and do not see your message there. Could be because I am not so well versed in what Facebook is all about, I am a new user there and will probably not continue using same -- Something about Facebook that leaves a nasty, lingering NSA taste. Not something I wish to continue. I allowed greed to cloud my judgement. I understand your concerns in that regard, and respect same.

I did respond to one of the emails sent me by your site in hopes of explaining myself regarding my Facebook participation and submission of multiple stories to both sites. I feel like I may have done something wrong in the process, the Facebook thing I mean, I certainly did not intend to lessen the impact such postings would have here at your important site. My stories are true, nevertheless.
Sincerely,
Jerry Bridges

Jerry, thank you for sharing this wonderful encounter.

Clearly the young man was 'drawn' to you like a magnet. The inner workings of how and why this happens is a mystery to us all. But there's a certain beauty in it which cannot be ignored.
I hope you can one day track down who he is. He shared with you a powerful perspective on war, from the other side of life. A true hero.

It's not every day an encounter like yours comes along, many thanks for sharing.

JerryB - would you check your facebook page? I sent a message that I need your reply to. Thanks 😊

Very interesting and informative comments, thank you. I had never heard of that one story you reference, it does have a similar feel doesn't it. Holding onto that door knob, not entering until invited to do so; no fear of the encounter. I am not fearless by any means, the situation just wasn't one to be feared at the time, it just wasn't what we've become accustomed to associate with ghost, I.e., the howls, the chains rattling, near invisible entity, etc. But no I do not believe it was a hallucination or sea sickness and the telling of it is certainly limited to my ability to tell it. It has become a family ghost story over the years, not make believe, but the true recount of events as I can best remember them.

A few years ago I did attempt to identify this relative using an online web page that listed soldiers killed during the Vietnam war, but sadly to no avail. I was excited at first in discovering such site existed but disappointed in that I was unable to match an individual with the puzzle pieces as I know them. To that end I can only say he claimed he wasn't in special forces, wasn't even in the army, and perhaps for that reason there is no good record.

I later spent a tour myself in Vietnam (I am a U.S. Army retired, 26 years active duty, Master Sergeant) and can recall how poorly our administrative processes were back then at the beginnings of this mess. Some soldiers were for lack of a better word, lost in transit, they just went home enroute overseas and stayed home. I for example was in my unit there a good thirty days before anyone could even account for me as assigned, I had to bring it to their attention. You know that old saying about the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing -- it certainly applied then. Not in all cases, but certainly in some. This is how I have come to understand no record of this poor unfortunate distant relative of mine, the young boy, just lost through the cracks. Perhaps otherwise some day, maybe by means of this story. Who can say?

This is one of the best and most fascinating ghost stories I've read on this site.

WOW! Fascinating experience Jerry!...Did you ever try to trace back through your family history to identify this young man?

JerryB--Your account reminded me of a very well documented case from 1918, in which a pilot (Lieut. David E. McConnel) was killed while transferring a plane to another air base. His roommate (Lieut. Larken) , to quote, "was reading and smoking in his room when he heard someone walking up the passage. The door opened with the usual noise and clatter which McConnel always made and Larkin heard his greeting, 'Hello boy!" He half turned round in his chair and saw McConnel standing in the doorway, half in and half out of the room, holding the doorknob in his hand. He was dressed in his full flying clothes but wearing his naval cap--an unusual item of apparel. The two young men exchanged a few words. McConnel said, 'Well, Cherrio!', closed the door noisily and walked out."

Long story short, McConnel died right around the time Larkin saw and talked to his roommate. Your experience sounds similar, including the exchanging of words with the apparition. Your later discovery that your ancestors name was Bridger, like the apparition, would certainly lend credence to your encounter. Much like the account I mention above, you felt no fear and, at least initially, assumed the young man to be a living person. It's a very unusual experience! It seems you had mixed feelings about the apparition as you left the room with the two other soldiers who said they couldn't see it. Do you feel this was indeed a ghostly visitation or an hallucination brought on by fatigue from your recent travel and the earlier sea sickness you had experienced? Thanks for sharing your unusual experience.