Life Is Too Short to Just Wear Black Socks By Ken Riege USAF Veteran
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This was told to me a few years ago by Vietnam War MOH Recipient Mr. Allen Lynch at an event that I attended with Hershey. The story went like this (to the best of my knowledge): It was a Friday evening and the banquet part of the event had finished where Mr. Lynch was the keynote speaker. Mr. Lynch spoke of being bullied as a child and why he joined the Army in 1964. Back at the hotel in the “Hospitality Suite” Mr. Lynch shared more stories of growing up and time spent in the Army. I had met him at different events, where I always presented him
Mr. Lynch showing off his socks. with the proper military salute that a Medal of Honor Recipient has earned and telling him how much of an honor it is to see him again.
Here I am with Mr. Allen Lynch
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August 2021
Somehow this visit was a bit different, because after I had rendered him with a salute, Mr. Lynch looked at me and said, “Hey Ken (I was so surprised that he knew my name until I realized I was still wearing my guest badge and Lanyard with my name on it) what color socks are you wearing? I kind of chuckled, but when he asked again, I said (in a military manner), “black socks sir.” He said let me see them. So, I pulled my pant leg up a bit so he could see my socks. He smiled and said (to all of us at the table) I would like to share a story with you. “A few years back, a dear friend had asked me this exact same question and I replied just as Ken did, by saying “black socks.” Mr. Lynch went on to say, that his friend had told him you know what Allen; life is too short to just wear black socks. So, Mr. Lynch decided from that day forward he would no longer wear ordinary black socks.
