The San Marcos Veterans Patrol hosted its monthly meeting where Carol and Tony Iacona served as the speakers.
The group’s monthly meetings afford Veterans opportunities to share both the camaraderie that comes with military service and testimonies based on "Veterans Standing Together in Faith to Support Each Other in Inner Peace."
Carol spoke on Pearl Harbor and the Dec. 7, 1941 attack that her father, Charles Horner, lived through when his ship, the USS Helena, was torpedoed. Growing up, Carol said her father never shared all that he witnessed that day. She reported, "He had nightmares for years. It is like a piece of him stopped that day. Although, when asked specific questions about Pearl Harbor and the Japanese attack, he could walk one back through that day without any problems. However, on his own, Charles never shared with anyone.” A change of heart came on the 65th Anniversary of Dec. 7, when he was 86 years old, and requested a trip to Brooke Army Medical Center so he could swap stories with wounded warriors from Iraq. Carol urged the listeners... "Open up to someone about your combat experiences — do not carry the burden alone. You and your loved ones will find relief by seeking peace through talking it out with someone-family, professionals, pastors, or friends."
