My loyal readers let me take you back to several years ago; to a specific morning at the office of THE MERCEDES ENTERPRISE in down town Mercedes, Texas.

     Robert Hinds told me that a loyal reader wanted to talk to me, but in person. Tha man was a Korean Veteran and was at a nursing home just west of Alice, Texas. I still recall Robert telling me, “DUKE, he has a story, I want you to go see him and let’s hear what he has to say.”

     And so tha next day, I was on the road in search of a story. Little did I know that a great patriotic inspiration would be my reward.

     Because that story is too long for my column, I will be brief. The outcome of that sad visit with a great American Veteran led to tha writing of my first patriotic poetic inspiration, which I then titled, “LET HER FLY”. This poetic inspiration first appeared in The Glennville Sentinel in Glennville, Georgia; then Robert also printed it in this great historic newspaper of ours; THE MERCEDES ENTERPRISE.

     A few weeks ago I talked about my composition in my column and now in respect to all our great veterans, who will be celebrating Vietnam Veterans’ Day, March 28, I think it is only befitting that we highlight “LET HER FLY” on this issue. 

     Let’s show our patriotism to our country and join our American Veterans this March 28. GOD knows we owe our veterans a lot. If it is possible, I would love to be allowed to recite my patriotic poetic inspiration at that ceremony. 

GOD Bless, 

DUKE MARTELL 

Editor’s note:

Robert Floyd Hinds died of natural causes on July 12, 2008 at his home in Mercedes. For more than 28 years Hinds was the face of the Mercedes Enterprise. He served as owner and publisher of the Enterprise for 19 years. He got his start writing a student column while attending Mercedes High school that became known as Hinds Sight.