Solving the 45-year-old Puzzle of How Orange Crush Saved My Dad’s Life

The hidden message in my dad’s Orange Crush Story

Photo of my dad taken in Europe in front of an artillery gun like the one he may or may not have fired

Any time my father saw, heard, or thought of Orange Crush his eyes would light up. He’d snap to attention grinning from ear to ear and ask,

“Did I ever tell you about the time Orange Crush saved my life?”

He knew damn well he’d told us the story before. He wasn’t asking a question; it was a warning. It signaled the kickoff for his Orange Crush story.

We loved to hear him tell his story. He was always excited to tell it no matter what his mood was when it came up. We would intentionally buy Orange Crush just to hear it.

Dad told his story to us at least a hundred times growing up. Every time it was the exact same story.

I was stationed in Vietnam. It was right before Christmas when I got really sick. I was throwing up, had diarrhea, I felt like death. If I went to the infirmary, they would keep me there over the holiday and I couldn’t go home on holiday leave.

It had been days since I felt like eating or drinking. I knew I needed to eat. I thrust myself out of bed onto my feet and walked from the barracks to the commissary. Looking for something to get…