Marines reunite to recreate beach photo they took together 50 years ago
When four veterans stood together on a Florida beach last Saturday, they hadn't seen each other in 50 years.
The men — Bob Falk, Dennis Puleo, Tom Hanks (not the actor) and Bob DeVenezia — had been friends during their time in the Marine Corps, training together before they were each deployed to Vietnam.
Right after basic training, they took a photo together on Cinnamon Beach.
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"It's a really funny picture, but one with a lot of heart behind it," DeVenezia told the Naples Daily News.
Image: naples daily news
After the war, the four friends lost contact. They'd been separated upon arrival to Vietnam, and the cold anti-war reception they returned to didn't exactly encourage them to reconnect.
Things changed in 2011, when Hanks made an online memorial page for a friend all four of them knew. When Falk found the page, the friends began to reconnect, but they didn't all reunite until last week.
After much logistical maneuvering, the four met in St. Augustine, Florida, each armed with the outfit they'd need to recreate their beloved beach photo. (They also borrowed a longboard from a kind stranger.)
We'd say they nailed it — particularly the facial expressions.
Image: naples daily news
After the shoot, they drove to a seafood shack for lunch and caught up, all wearing matching yellow shirts specially designed for the reunion.
Image: naples daily news
Since the reunion, the friends' story has received a huge wave of press. On Thursday, they even appeared on morning show Fox & Friends to discuss their experience.
Now they're looking forward to the spotlight dimming a little — but they hope to keep their friendship burning bright.
The reunion was "one of the best days of my life," Hanks said.
