The Wall at 25

[DMZ-LT]

Today a special ceremony will mark 25 years since ground was first broken for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. The article in the paper has a picture of a mother and her young daughter tracing the name of Grandpa on the Wall. I think most of the men whose names are on the Wall never will become Opas and that makes me want to be an even better Opa , I have earned it and I will always remember them

[Packo]

Pighumper and I were at the dedication in 1982. I have been there numerous times....the last, will probably be my last. Healing for years, too painful now.

John, what a good perspective. I think for many years I've done what I've done for Veterans and Active Duty people as a tribute to those men and women and the men I knew. I could be in private practice raking in $85-95 bucks a hour, but instead, for much less, stayed where I was. As my retirement is looming, I now know I can look them all in the eye and said I did my best. Man, 25 years already.

Pack

[Robert Ryan]

I have been to the traveling wall. Someday I hope to make a cross country trip to the wall and other memorials in DC. Our memoiral is a 25 years old, the WWII memorial is only a year old.

[Gimpy]

for posting this John.

Damn, don't time fly!

It took me ten years to work up the courage to finally visit the Wall for my first time in 1992. It was the tenth anniversary of it's opening to the public and I was there with thousands of other Vietnam Vets and will never forget that day. Cried like a blubbering baby.

I also went on the 20th anniversary in 2002, and many, many times in between. My sister lives in Arlington, VA. just outside the gates of Ft. Myer where the 'Old Guard" is stationed and just a few miles from Arlington National Cemetary and less than five miles from the Mall where the Vietnam Memorial is located.

Everytime I visit my sister I make it a point to visit the Wall just before sunrise, and stay until the sun rises to pay my respects.

I hope everyone has the chance to visit this place of reverance and reflection at least once during their lifetime.

[Jerry D]

25th Anniversary of the Wall

For those who gave their all ! we remember

[39mto39g]

Been to the wall one time, I was going to Snake river in Idaho from Texas and decided to visit the wall. At 05:30 in the morning I was standing at panel 22 E and I will not be back. I don't show emotions well, and I fight any tear that comes my way, but that day , that F-en day, I had no choice but to go to one knee. cause I could stand no longer. Noooooo, you will not catch me at the wall ever again.
Ron

[1CAVCCO15MED]

But you know fellers, it is OUR wall. It is our guys that are on it and woe be uto anyone who shows it disrespect or uses it for ANY political agenda.

[PHO127]

Two experiences in my life were most powerful and I really don't know if one was greater than the other. They were the formal standdown of the 25th ID at Cu Chi and visiting the Wall. The thoughts of both still will bring me to a halt and sandstorms.

[Tina]

I have been to both the wall in DC and the traveling wall.. they were both great experiences for me

love
tina

[frisco-kid]

Made it there for the first time this JAN. Even though there were very few people there, I couldn't just walk up to it. Worked my way around the other memorials before approaching it. I came with a list of 25 names that I was going to visit. These were all guys from C co, 2/502, 101st Abn. Div.. 20 of them killed during my tour, 5 of them after I rotated out. 10 of them are on Panel 13E. They were all killed between 31DEC66 and 9JAN67. The first name is Jarel W. Ayers and the last one is Robert W. Barton. I held it together pretty good until I got to this panel. And when you see all the names at once, it's overwhelming.