What memorabilia/souvenirs have you kept from your military service? What special meaning do these have for you?:

Many years ago, I purchased a handmade, richly finished personalized box for my Army memorabilia. It had a gold-filled laser engraving: SP4 Joseph A. De Frank, B Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry (1/6), 198th Light Infantry Brigade (LIB), Americal (23rd Infantry) Division, surrounding a beautiful embossed Vietnam War Veteran medallion.

The unit crest of the 1/6 depicts an alligator which symbolizes service in the Seminole War, when the regiment bore the brunt of the fighting at the battle of Lake Okeechobee on 25 December 1837. Service in the Mexican War with General Scott is commemorated with a scaling ladder by means of which the walls of the citadel of Chapultepec were stormed. The 1/6 s long proud lineage can be traced back to the War of 1812, when it had the distinction of being commanded by Colonel Zachary Taylor. The Battalion has three Presidential Unit Citations, Two Valorous Unit awards, and three Medal of Honor awardees. The unit motto is Unity is Strength.