Vets Fishing With Vets

OTW Summer Intern Richard Murphy reported on his day fishing with a boat full of American War veterans this summer out of Hyannis. – Jimmy Fee

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of joining the Nam Vets Association of the Cape and Islands aboard the Helen-H for their annual Vets Fishing with Vets fishing expedition. Spearheaded by Bob Elliot, a Vietnam vet and cook aboard the Helen H, Vets Fishing with Vets was founded by the Nam Vets Association in 2005 as part of their extensive veteran outreach program. Established with the intention of bringing veterans of all eras and military branches together for a day of fishing fun out on the open ocean, Vets Fishing with Vets has proven to Elliot to be a more than just a yearly fishing trip; Vets Fishing with Vets has become a successful means of developing a sense of belonging for our veterans in the community, while giving them an opportunity to seek and receive any help they might need. As this trip marked the 6^th annual Vets Fishing with Vets, attendance was stronger and more diverse than ever before: over 80 veterans participated, ranging in age from 23 to 91, and representing all major U.S. conflicts from World War II to the most recent Iraqi/Afghani wars.

As I arrived at the Helen H in Hyannis Port, the sun had just begun to peak over the marina and I could already tell that it was going to be a gorgeous day for fishing. As we steamed out, the veterans, as well as myself, were treated to some complimentary coffee and donuts as we enjoyed the beautiful sights of the Cape Cod coastline.

While our first few destinations produced very few fish, the vets remained optimistic throughout the entire day. Luckily, about halfway through the trip, the fishing picked up and several vets caught quite a few fluke and black sea bass.

Although the fishing could have been a little better, the entire day was spectacular overall. Around lunch time we returned to the marina for a feast of burgers and hot dogs, a live and silent auction, a raffle, and music at the Nam Vets Association. Towards the end of the day, all of the veterans were given a tote-bag full of fishing goodies and other tokens as a parting gift for participating in Vets Fishing with Vets. One of the most interesting items in the mix of gifts was a miniature military service flag, which was not necessarily the correct service flag for the receiving veteran. While this initially caused some confusion among the vets, Bob Elliot explained this mix-up was intentional. In the spirit of Vets Fishing with Vets, he hoped that these vets would use the flags to reach out to other vets in the community and tell them about the Nam Vets Association.