Jerry and Debbie Barnum came to Pittsburgh from Minnesota for the first time in October to visit their daughter (a doctor at Children’s) and to see their first-born grandchild. While at Giant Eagle, he and Tom Szmed exchange a cordial ‘Semper Fi’ and, as Marines do, started talking Corps. Shortly into the conversation, they realized they were both stationed at Cherry Point in the early 1970’s, both worked in the same office together for over a year and Tom was Jerry’s Staff NCO. After three years of service, Jerry returned to Minnesota, married Debbie and together raised a daughter and son. Tom stayed in the Corps for 22 years and returned to Pittsburgh after receiving an honorable medical discharge. A happy, but extremely unexpected reunion for these two Marines! What are the chances?
