I grew up in the little town of Dongola, Illinois, where everybody knew everybody, and most everybody knew what you had for breakfast. 

My first-grade class had 48 students. We were packed in like sardines, so they decided to move seven of us over to Mrs. Ragsdale’s second-grade class. I was one of those seven first graders, and two of the second-graders were Wayne Corzine and Tim Reeves.

Now, Dongola didn’t have enough boys to field a football team, but we did have enough to play baseball. Wayne was our catcher, Tim was our pitcher, and I held down third base. Over the years, our friendship grew beyond the baseball diamond and turned into something special. We did everything together. In fact, as they tell it, I was the one who talked them into enlisting in the Army on September 12, 1966.

That’s right, together, the three of us raised our right hands and swore an oath to protect our country from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Our service numbers were even identical except for the last digit. That’s how close we were. 

From that day forward, we’ve called ourselves “The Three Amigos.” And we still get together four times a year, especially on or near the anniversary of our enlistment. 

We each forged our own path in the service. Tim became a lieutenant and stayed stateside, running basic training at Fort Knox. Wayne joined the 173rd Airborne and served in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. And I was with the 11th Cavalry armor, ranging from the foothills of Vietnam into the Highlands and down to the Delta.

So, as you might expect, our conversations are a blend of different perspectives, Tim’s training stories, Wayne’s dismounted airborne tales, and my days in armor.

By the way, a few years back, we added a Marine to the mix. Ron Osman didn’t enlist with us, but we welcomed him as a full-blooded Amigo all the same. 

And this month, Lord willin’, the Amigos are scheduled to fly together on the Honor Flight out of Veterans’ Airport. It’s gonna be the trip of a lifetime. 

I hope you’re still able to spend quality time with lifelong friends. 

Be well. Stay well. Thanks for readin’.

Francis Pass

P.S. My class of forty-eight still holds the record for the largest first-grade class Dongola’s ever had