Retired US Marines from iconic photo visit again for the holidays

COALING, Calif. (KFSN) -- Eight months after their emotional meeting in Mobile, Alabama Rick Hill and A.B. Grantham learned they are more like twins separated at birth.

"It's kind of spooky. It's kind of scary you know. We drive the same kind and same color car and have the same kind of truck. We have children that have the same names," said Grantham.

They are even starting to talk the same.

"I was very proud to be able to say my friend is coming out to meet ya'll. There's that ya'll," said Hill.

The wounded Marines shared the same drive to survive on this tank back in 1968 in Hue City. Forty-eight years later Hill still cherished the photo taken by John Olson-- Grantham did not.

"It stayed in a drawer and I never brought it up," said Grantham.

Many Vietnam War vets do not like to talk about their experience but Hill said he had to complete this mission.

"He's like medicine to me."

Hill and his wife Hayley were thrilled to have Grantham and his wife Diana visit from Mobile. Their friendship has helped both deal with post-traumatic stress disorder.

"Finding him at that point has really been a blessing for me and it's been a healing process for me," said Grantham.

"I was able to open up to him and it's been very heart-filling-- and emotional," said Hill.

Hill calls Grantham a piece of history.

"I don't claim any heroism or anything from it. I was just there in that moment of time," said Grantham.

Grantham said sometimes the attention drawn by the photo can be overwhelming. He and Hill both said they represented everyone from all the armed forces who fought in Vietnam.