Southern Cross information
for 196 BDE 23 INF
For date 710115
196 BDE 23 INF was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Quang Tin Province, I Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Hawk Hill
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "25 Christmas cards stun unsuspecting GI" by SP4 Robert Spangler.
Christmas in Vietnam leaves something to be desired by most GIs, but for Captain Ted Brodzinski, Jr. of Brookhaven, Pa., this Christmas season away from home contains a bright spot that he will always remember. Brodzinski, Aviation Section Commander for the 196th Infantry Brigade, received an envelope in the mail today with his address written in pencil by an unfamiliar hand. Full of curiosity, he opened the packet and to his amazement discovered about 25 hand-made Christmas cards. The cards were from Miss Verna's fifth grade class at Our Lady of Charity School, Brookhaven, Pa. This might not have been a surprise if Brodzinski's wife or mother was the school teacher, but he doesn't know the teacher or the students. Although Brodzinski did attend the school from 1955 through 1960, he couldn't imagine how they obtained his name for their project. A letter from Miss Verna explained that her fifth graders wanted to do something special this year and each class decided to send Christmas cards to men in Vietnam. Brodzinski said he was "tickled to death" to receive the cards, and he had read them three times already. "These kids are really bright," he commented. "One of the cards read, 'And the stockings were hung by the chimney with the care hoping soon Ted would be there. See you I hope, Joe.' "I return to the states in March and I plan to visit Miss Verna and kids," he said. According to the 196th Inf. Bde. Aviator the assortment of hand scribbled, funny colored cards more than accomplished their purpose to "cheer up the troops."
Photo Caption: Captain Brodzinski is surrounded by the numerous colorful hand-printed Christmas cards that he so mysteriously received in the mail recently. (U.S. Army Photo by SP4 Robert A. Spangler)
Comments: CPT Brodzinski, Ted Jr.; BDE AVN SECTION CO; ;
The source for this information was 7101_402_scr supplied by Les Hines 04/05/2000
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Last updated
12/11/2000
Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023