Stranger's generous tip makes visiting Korean War vet's day

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCIV) -- Visitors at Patriot's Point Wednesday may have noticed a group of Navy veterans touring. It was part of a reunion for those who served on the U.S.S. Hyman.

It's always a memorable time for these sailors, but for one in particular it will always stand out in his mind.

The U.S.S. Laffey is the last destroyer of its kind left. It is very similar to the Hyman, which John Reilly served on during the Korean War.

“Kind of brings back some memories, the good old days,” said Reilly, who served on the Hyman from 1951 to 1955.

And talking about the good old days is one of the things that he enjoys the most about these trips.

“Unfortunately, the time I was on it there is only three of us that come to the reunion where the others are gone or couldn't make it, but it's good to see and talk to the guys and reminisce and tell sea stories,” said Reilly.

But on this trip he has another story to tell, a much more recent one about generosity.

“My family and I were having supper at the local Red Lobster, and it was a young couple diagonally across from us finished their meal and a gentleman came over and said, 'I want to thank you for your service,'” said Reilly. “I get that quite a bit. He said, 'I would like to help pay for your meal' and he put the bill down on the table. I said thank you and off he went. I figured it was $10, maybe $20. I opened it up; it was a hundred dollar bill. We were floored, great city with Charleston.”

But then they were floored again when a manager gave them gift certificates for their next visit to the restaurant.

“Made me feel great, glad I came,” said Reilly.

And all of the veterans are glad they came. Dick Leitch came all the way from Indiana.

“I saw the Laffey at Okinawa when it was hit, shortly after it was hit. This whole super structure was completely gone,” said Leitch, a World War II veteran who served on the Hyman.

It's stories like this he loves to share with his loved ones.

“I'm 94 years old and I love every day. I hope I live to be 100, and I hope to come back to several more reunions,” said Leitch.

And for all these families, reunions like these are priceless as they hear the sea stories first-hand from their loved ones. But for the Reilly family, it's also the generous tip that they will always remember.