Veterans Talk of Patriotism Gained in Service

On the outside, the Crystal Bar on 51 1st Street has the appearance of any corner bar in Cambridge: It's tucked away under a stairwell, and a welcoming neon sign illuminates the entrance. But on the inside, the men who frequent the Crystal Bar are not just talking about the latest major sporting event.

Patriotism, discipline and service dominate the conversation at the Crystal Bar on Veterans Day. After all, the bar houses Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 3272.

Veterans from East Cambridge, Bob F. Curry, Tony J. Costa and Paul T. Kearns '71 gathered here yesterday after serving in the honor guard in the Veterans Day ceremony at Cambridge Cemetery.

The Crystal Bar and East Cambridge are many thousands of miles away from the foreign soil where Curry, Costa and Kearns served. Yet, these men say that time and distance do not erase the memories of battle.

"I don't think anybody knows the real feeling of shooting at somebody and somebody shooting at you," Curry says.

The men do not speak about personal battle memories, but they speak openly and at length about the fierce sense of patriotism they carried away from the battlefield.

"The New Hampshire license plate-_'Live Free Or Die'--that's the greatest license plate I ever saw," Costa says.

Curry recalls the moments of crises on the battlefield, when "you get the feeling that someone's going to take something away from you."

For these veterans, that inexplicable "something" is freedom, a freedom they say they will defend if the need arises again.

Costa says news broadcasts about the potential conflict in Iraq sharpen the men's battlefield mentality.

"We say, 'We're ready,'" he says. "[But] you hope that it never happens."

Costa points out the contrast between the news images of Iraqis obediently applauding Saddam Hussein and those of the United States Congress, where opinions are exchanged freely and sometimes rudely, he says.

"You can express your opinion," he says. "That's what it's all about."

But Costa also says, "I think if something happened next week [the United States] would pull together."

Working as a unified force requires training, these veterans say, and eight weeks of boot camp was what instilled in them the sense of discipline that they still carry throughout their daily lives.

"The one thing that everybody can take away from the service comes down to one word: discipline," Kearns says.

"That discipline stays with you for the rest of your life."

"Just from my few years of being in the army, Iwill not go to work unless I shave," Costa says."I will not go to work unless my belt buckle islined up with the buttons on my shirt."

Home of Red, White and Blue

The men gathered at the bar yesterday havedifferent war stories, but the shared experiencesof boot camp and battle unite them with a commonreverence for Veterans Day.

"Today, at the ceremony, they rememberedeverybody from the Revolutionary War to the Gulf[War]," Kearns says.

However, Vietnam veterans say that public honorand recognition for their services can sometimesbe hard to come by.

"Some VFWs don't recognize Vietnam veterans,"Curry says.

Kearns adds, "When people came back from WorldWar II, they had parades for them. When peoplecame back from Vietnam, they spit on them."

However, Kearns says he believes the negativeattitudes toward Vietnam veterans may be changing.

"I think the baby-boomers have changed theiropinion," he says. "They respect the commitmentthat the soldiers gave."

A commitment to military service alsotranslates into a commitment to community servicefor the veterans at VFW Post 3273.

Every December, the post holds a Christmasdinner for homeless veterans.

"This place does a lot for the localcommunity," Kearns says

"Just from my few years of being in the army, Iwill not go to work unless I shave," Costa says."I will not go to work unless my belt buckle islined up with the buttons on my shirt."

Home of Red, White and Blue

The men gathered at the bar yesterday havedifferent war stories, but the shared experiencesof boot camp and battle unite them with a commonreverence for Veterans Day.

"Today, at the ceremony, they rememberedeverybody from the Revolutionary War to the Gulf[War]," Kearns says.

However, Vietnam veterans say that public honorand recognition for their services can sometimesbe hard to come by.

"Some VFWs don't recognize Vietnam veterans,"Curry says.

Kearns adds, "When people came back from WorldWar II, they had parades for them. When peoplecame back from Vietnam, they spit on them."

However, Kearns says he believes the negativeattitudes toward Vietnam veterans may be changing.

"I think the baby-boomers have changed theiropinion," he says. "They respect the commitmentthat the soldiers gave."

A commitment to military service alsotranslates into a commitment to community servicefor the veterans at VFW Post 3273.

Every December, the post holds a Christmasdinner for homeless veterans.

"This place does a lot for the localcommunity," Kearns says

Home of Red, White and Blue

The men gathered at the bar yesterday havedifferent war stories, but the shared experiencesof boot camp and battle unite them with a commonreverence for Veterans Day.

"Today, at the ceremony, they rememberedeverybody from the Revolutionary War to the Gulf[War]," Kearns says.

However, Vietnam veterans say that public honorand recognition for their services can sometimesbe hard to come by.

"Some VFWs don't recognize Vietnam veterans,"Curry says.

Kearns adds, "When people came back from WorldWar II, they had parades for them. When peoplecame back from Vietnam, they spit on them."

However, Kearns says he believes the negativeattitudes toward Vietnam veterans may be changing.

"I think the baby-boomers have changed theiropinion," he says. "They respect the commitmentthat the soldiers gave."

A commitment to military service alsotranslates into a commitment to community servicefor the veterans at VFW Post 3273.

Every December, the post holds a Christmasdinner for homeless veterans.

"This place does a lot for the localcommunity," Kearns says