2022 Thoughts from Brother Paul DiCorcia

January 5, 2022

To my Sigma Beta Tau Brothers, 

I don’t usually send anything to all the members of our ROMEO group, other than an invite to get together for some food and drinks. However, I thought this attachment, was worthy of sending to “all of you” – my BROTHERS.

I have included, a rather lengthy WHY I am sending it to ALL my Brothers, and hope that you will forgive me this “one time” sending this serious discussion of “life”.  I “hope” and “think” that you will like what you SEE and HEAR in the presentation that follows my intro.

Here’s wishing each and every one of you a VERY WONDERFUL NEW YEAR, and THANKS FOR BEING MY BROTHER FOR THE PAST 60 YEARS.

Paul

The story behind the attached video…

This sharing came to me from my AIRBORNE buddy John in Ohio. He and I have been “friends” since late Nov. 1957, when we both arrived at Ft. Bragg, N.C. for Jump School, and were assigned to be “bunk mates”. As no one else would “talk with us”, because we weren’t Airborne, we became “best buddies”. 

We went through Jump School together in Jan. 1958, and became “best friends”.  At some point I brought him home for a week and introduced him to my family, and my friends. My Mom made us her “famous” Ravioli’s”, one of which would fill up an entire plate!  Now – John, was “one of my family members”. 

Our “friendship”  lasted through 1958, when he was sent to a different unit to be an M.P. and I was sent off to be a Medic. We continued to hang out with one another, until Uncle Sam saw fit to send me to Germany and him to Korea in late 1958. We said our “Good Luck and Goodbyes”, shook hands, and went to our very separate destinations. 

Somewhere around 1993, I got my 1st computer, and “someone” told me about a site called “FOURONEONE.COM.  You could go there, put a name, and “city and state” and the computer would give you their telephone number. I tried it, and “found ME”, then Ward, Ed, and Lee who had moved to N.C. and “confirmed their phone numbers. I then asked myself WHO did I want to “find” and had “lost”, and John’s name immediately came to my mind.  

I typed in John Gerwig, Cleveland, Ohio and three names “popped up” with phone numbers. I called the 1st one, and then a “man’s voice” said “Hello”.  I then said, “This may sound strange but my name is Paul Di Corcia, does that mean anything to you?”  He immediately said, “Yeah! Your mother makes great raviolis”.  

WOW – after 35 years we were RECONNECTED. We email one another regularly. Mostly to send “things such as I’ve sent to many of you”.  Occasionally we talk on the phone. 

During “one motorcycle trip” I made, “we” (a group of about 6 Gold Wing Riders) were headed “somewhere” out west, and we were going through Cleveland. I called him, and told him our route, and he told me where to get off, and I got to visit with him for about two hours, and then had to be “on the road” again. 

He’s a GREAT FRIEND of mine – and this “TRAIN OF LIFE” that you are about to see and read the script, while hearing beautiful music playing in the background. I think that this is one of the most beautiful and touching readings I have ever seen.

We have loved, and lost many of our Brothers, THIS is in remembrance of them all. 

I hope that you enjoy John’s gift to me and now YOU!

Paul

Enjoy the video.