Final Mission for Spencer Veteran’s Dress Blue Uniform

American Legion Commander Hansel Moore had not given much thought to the Air Force dress blues stored in his closet for decades.

At about seven o’clock on a Saturday evening Moore received the call from State Commander Lanny Culver in search of dress blues and stripes for Tech Sargent Aubrey D. Green’s funeral. Moore asked Culver to give him some time to check around. Then Moore checked his own closets.

“One of my closets hung my dress blue uniform of when I separated from the Air Force,” Moore said. “And I happened to separate as a Tech Sargent. The uniform had hung in the closet for 30 years and I just thought to myself this uniform has one more mission.”

Moore said he called Commander Culver and let him know he had a jacket in good condition that he would deliver to Green’s family.

He said when he drove the jacket to Green’s family the next day, they wanted to share Green’s history so Moore would know who he was giving his uniform to. Green’s daughter told Moore about tours in Korea as an Army combat medic followed by two tours in Vietnam as a photographer for the Air Force.

“His daughter was able to share some of the stories he shared with her,” Moore said. “And obviously as a medic he saw quite a bit.”

Moore said what had begun as a uniform search became much more. He considered himself lucky to have heard Green’s daughter share the story of her father’s life and service.

“I knew instantly that I had no regrets handing over this uniform to this hero of history. And it was just a great moment for me to learn the history of one of our fellow veterans.”