“Mr. Posey’s book is called ‘Dress Blues,’ but he never got them,” Tierce said. “I asked Mr. Horton, ‘How hard would be to get this man his dress blues?’

“It was a God thing,” she added. “The only person who can order dress blues is a former Marine, and Bob Horton is a former Marine.”

Tierce also called State Representative Kurt Wallace, R-Maplesville, to see how he could help. Wallace was one of the people who contributed to the purchase of Posey’s dress blues, which were presented to 93-year-old Posey at his book signing.

“Mara Tierce contacted me, and as I’m a military guy, I said tell me how I can help,” Wallace said. “To get dress blues is to say you’ve reached a pinnacle. You earn them.”

Social Worker Pam Boykin worked with Posey through Southern Care.

“He’s a cut-up,” she said, smiling. “I thought he was just a good, old, country boy, and then I found out he’d been an avid writer.”

After Posey walked through the group of veterans in red from the Marine Corps League at the library, he was seated at the front of the room next to his brother, Richard Posey, who is also a WWII veteran.

“Oh my,” said Posey of the event and of the more than 50 attendees.

Posey volunteered for the Marine Corp in 1944 at the age of 25. After 10 months of service overseas as a light machine gunner, he was honorably discharged.

As he wrote in his book, “Dress Blues,” Posey joined the Marines because “I wanted the best training I could get to better my chances of survival over there. In my opinion, the Corps proved that training.”

At his book signing, Posey smiled and put a hand to his mouth as Horton unwrapped two packages in front of him. The packages contained the hat and uniform to his dress blues.

“I’ll try them on when I get home,” Posey said, smiling. “Thank you. You’ll have to read my ‘Dress Blues.’ Every word is true … more or less.”