Vietnam Veterans, 40-Year Friends March Side-By-Side In Tulsa Parade

George Wittman and John "J.T." McIntosh have been friends for more than 40 years, and the United States Combat Veterans proudly represented the Navy and the Marine Corps Friday in the Tulsa Veterans Day Parade. 

Though they didn't become friends until after they made it home from Vietnam, both Wittman and McIntosh have many similarities. 

Both are both full-blood Native Americans, enlisted in the military at the age of 18, Wittman to the Navy and McIntosh to the Marines. 

Now, at the ages of 69 and 70, respectively, the pair got the opportunity to represent their branches in Tulsa's 97th Annual Veterans Day Parade along with hundreds of other veterans. 

Not men of many words, both Wittman's and McIntosh's families expressed their love, appreciation and even more, pride, for their veterans. 

"He's proud to be a marine and to have fought as a combat veteran to serve his country so that his kids, grandkids and great-grandkids may have the freedoms they have today. His whole family is proud of him and is just as proud for the service he provided to his country," said his son, Seth McIntosh. 

McIntosh, from Tulsa, served two tours in Vietnam from 1965-1966 and 1968 Tet Offensive. As a Cherokee and Muscogee (Creek), he was a part of the Native American Inter-Tribal Association Color Guard for many years. 

McIntosh was an automatic weapons M-60 Specialist, assigned to rifle platoons, his family said. 

Wittman, who's Euchee, said he was glad he was able to attend and to see so many people at the parade. 

"Just to see so many people come to show us they still love and respect our country, our flag and all the soldiers that have come back home," Wittman said. 

Wittman's wife of 30 years, Cecelia, said she can't express how proud of him she is. 

"I couldn't hold back the tears," Wittman said of her husband. "To see the love and respect for my husband and the honor he was shown today and how much he loves our country. Those were probably some of the happiest times of their lives. These guys carry the honor inside themselves in their hearts."

Wittman, from Gypsy Corner, which is outside Bristow, went aboard the USS Clarion River #409 and crossed the Pacific to Vietnam to become a part of the 9211 Mobile Riverine Force. He was aboard the armored troop carrier that was converted to a flame thrower, and Wittman was assigned as the flame thrower gunner, his family said. 

Wittman was shipped back to the United States to train in escaping an invasion, then sent back to Vietnam for a second tour. In total, he completed four tours in Vietnam. 

"Every time his flame thrower went out on river patrol for battle, he was the only soldier to return every evening," Cecelia Wittman said. 

Wittman came home for good on Thanksgiving Day 1968. 

He and his wife traveled to Charleston, South Carolina in October to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War.