MIDDLE PAXTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- An early wakeup Monday morning was nothing new for some veterans in Scranton. They made the long trip to the Harrisburg area for a fishing competition against fellow veterans.
As the water flowed steadily down Clark Creek on this mild spring day, just outside of Harrisburg, dozens of veterans sat comfortably with their fishing rods in hand.
"I don't get out much. I'm either going to waste away in some room or get out here and have some fun," said Army veteran Tony Gatto.
These American heroes who currently live at residential veterans' homes, including the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center in Scranton, competed in the annual Adjutant General Fishing Tournament in Middle Paxton Township.
"Just being out here with all these people is a great break. Laying around in bed reminds you of how sick you are and what hurts. It hurts more thinking about it than it does not," Gatto said.
The departure time for residents of the veterans' center in Scranton was bright and early at 7 a.m., but the opportunity to fish and converse with other veterans was a relief
"It's a good camaraderie. Guys enjoy themselves when they're out here. It's just a great time to be out and be away from the house," said Navy veteran Clifford Davies.
The veterans tell us that fishing brings back fond memories. Being able to cast their lines and reel in fish allows them to decompress.
"We used to go to Cape Cod, myself and my family, and my wife always wanted to catch fish, so we bought her rods and reels and everything. But she never caught anything from the dock. So, I decided next time, we're going to go out on the fishing boats and she went out and came back with enough fish to feed 12 people," recalled Marine Corps veteran Wilson Miller.
"I grew up in St. Louis and fished In Mississippi a lot and the biggest fish I caught there was about a 30-pound catfish," Davies said.
The ride back to Scranton was made better knowing fresh fish was for dinner.