THE Wall

[Stick]

Went with my second daughter, Tracy. Tracy was born October 31, '67. I went to VN on August 24, '67 so I didn't meet Tracy until I had been discharged from Valley Forge Army Hospital in October of '68 after my ETS. Tracy didn't know me before I went to Vietnam and I wasn't the same man when I returned. Tracey got to meet the old me that day at the Wall.
Cried my eyes out as soon as I saw it and will never be the same. 58 thou.+ names! My first daughter Terri was named after one of them, Terry Kilbane, 58 thou.+ of the very finest men and women to have had the honor of serving this great country. Touch that wall and they will all reach out and touch you back.
Thank God Tracy was with me. I couldn't have done it without her.

[b3196]

If you have not been there, I strongly recommend it. It is definitly a moving experience. I told the wife I had a weeks vacation and I was going to the wall (from Indy) and I was doing this trip alone. the best part about it was that she totally understood. After 12 hours of driving and getting lost numerous times in Washington I finally made it. I looked up a few friends who's names were on the wall. The strange part about it was, I lost track of time I must have been there for 7 hours but it felt like only minutes. When I called my wife that night from my cell phone, I was still at the wall, thats when it hit me. she tried to change the conversation but nothing worked. The next day was Sept 11 2001 which changed everything
Bob K

[BLUEHAWK]

Bob K, Stick, Paco, Boats, LT... everybody

Sure has helped me some for you all to talk on this...

Walter, and Paul, Kenny & others they're on there... all I can think of is how much goofy fun we had in school, with the girls and all our big ideas about ourselves. Never once hesitated about signing up, not one. They didn't have to use the draft on us. They damn well shouldn't have lied about the cause though.

Maybe part of bearing the soldier's burden is standing by the fallen as manly as one can... like I say, haven't had the courage to go there yet. From what everybody is saying, now I know why.

I owe it.

[DMZ-LT]

3/5 Cav. saying." If you are wounded I will carry you. If you are captured I will come for you. If you are killed I will always remember you " - I remember. This site has helped me understand a lot too.

[sfc_darrel]

We went to the moving wall in Vancouver, WA in 1998. Tried to stay for the ceremony but just couldn't stand to listen to them talk about it.

Went to The Wall in July 2000 with our sailor.

Cousin and friends on it.

Glad we went.

I won't go alone.

Darrel

[BLUEHAWK]

Thanks Darrel, LT & you other guys

I gotta shut this off for now, to myself, for awhile... its too much

Surely am glad yer there though

don't know how much more of this our guys can take

[SEATJERKER]

...

......The Wall is so strong,...
......It carries all the weight for all,...


......It carries emotions,...
......It carries burdens,...
......It heals sorrow,...
......It carries on,...
......It communicates for those that can not,...


......The Wall is so strong,...
......It is a Black diamond with 58,212 facets
......not another stone has ever glistened as so, nor will,...


......The Wall is so strong,...
......It carries all the weight for all,...

...

[BLUEHAWK]

Vice Commander -

The Pentagon says (if I got this right) there are today roughly 43,547,500 war and peacetime vets still living, plus about 370,000 of our troops stationed in 120 countries.

Most of us, one day, might decide to go to Washington and simply stand in traffic for awhile, ask them to put their phones down and their computers to sleep for just a little while... giving them no verbal message except silence for a day, and then peacefully leave.

Quite a voting bloc I'd say...

[Sgt_Tropo]

I think the main thing the Wall does for us (Vietnam Vets) is that it (1) provides us a place to recognize that what we did was and is remembered, (2) that those which paid the ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten, (3) helps each of us leave the baggage of "suvivor's guilt" where it belongs; in the 'Nam, and lastly, its unique design allows us to enter once more into that abyss called 'Nam, bid our farewells to those we were not able to release because of the circumstances and exit back into the light of the present-day world, knowing that we all served proudly.
Yes, I believe that each and every Vietnam Vet needs to visit the wall. Not just because it is "our" memorial, but because I believe until you do, you still have a piece of you left behind, forever fighting that war.
Don't be afraid or ashamed of the tears that will most assuredly come as you stand before that polished, black granite wall. Rather, be proud of the tears, for they are tears that only those that were there can shed.

Welcome home, All.

[BLUEHAWK]

Sarge -

hadn't thought about survivor's guilt, guess I got a bunch of that too.