On New Year’s Eve 1968, two marines, Master Sgt. William H. Cox and First Sgt. James “Hollie” Hollingsworth, were holed up in a bunker in the Marble Mountains of Vietnam. The two strangers quickly developed a strong bond and made an unbreakable promise to each other: “If we survive this attack or Vietnam, we’ll contact each other every year on New Year’s.”
The two marines survived the attack and returned home. For nearly five decades, Cox, who lives in Piedmont, S.C., and Hollingsworth of Hephzibah, Ga., kept their promise. For 50 years they exchanged greetings on New Year’s Eve, every single year.
When Cox found out that Hollingsworth was terminally ill, he traveled 125 miles to visit his dear friend and made yet another unbreakable promise, to give the eulogy at his funeral: “I said, ‘Boy, that’s a rough mission you’re assigning me to there,’ ” Cox said. Nevertheless, he kept his promise.
“There’s a bond between Marines that’s different from any other branch of service. We’re like brothers,” Cox said.
Watch the video below for the tear-jerking scene that took place at the funeral and please Liked Video this with your friends on Facebook.
