It was the winter of 1965, and Charlie Miller and Mike Gifford were, like a lot of other young men, subject to the Selective Service Draft, wanting to be inducted together.

After all, there is great security in friendship, especially when your home is in southern Ohio, for parts unknown ha+lfway around the world.

Tight on cue, both had passed their physicals and were to be inducted.  
At that time, in addition to his family, Charlie would be leaving something else behind.  Charlie was the proud owner of a 1965 Mustang 2 plus 2 high-performance Fastback.  In short, he was the envy of a lot of guys.

Mike Gifford remembers that day in December very well.  Charlie and 
Mike was to be inducted in Ashland, KY.  As it turned out, Charlie was to be the only one to continue the journey.

"As my name was called to go to the bus, I was stopped and told that I 
would be called later," Gifford said.  "Charlie's name was then called and he went through the door.  I remember Charlie turning to me as he was going through the door, smiled and said, "Mike, you are so lucky."

It would be the last time the two friends would ever see each other. Mike returned home and Charlie eventually traveled to Vietnam where in early 1967 he became one of America's fallen heroes.

"He gave his life for me because he took my place, and he gave his life 
for his country," Gifford said.

Charlie's Mustang remained parked in his mother's yard for decades.  
Mike decided Charlie had been so proud of the car, he {Gifford} 
acquired the Mustang and turned it over to Andy Mann, an Ironton 
Marine, who, for the next two years, went through the process of 
rebuilding it completely.

"He rebuilt it to its original state - two four-barrels and all," Gifford said.  "Everything form top to bottom is like Charlie had it and now we can take it to parades and car shows to remember all of our American heroes," Gifford said bonding with the Mustang has given his life new meaning.