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Etched in Stone
By Dave Henderson
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Saturday I took a pilgrimage to Fontana. This weekend, the City of Fontana is hosting a display of the Moving Wall, a traveling half-scale version of the Viet Nam Memorial Wall in Washington DC. I heard on several occasions "why did you come"?
A Vet and the Wall (Photo by Dave Henderson.)
Why did I go? Well for me it was a mission to pay my respects to my fallen brothers and sisters. I'm a veteran and those who have served develop a brotherhood. I share a bond with all those who came before me and who have served after. It was a search for my brother on another level as well. On the wall is my brother in law, SSG Larry Joe Mason, my wife's oldest brother.
Name inscription on Viet Nam Wall (Photo by Dave Henderson.)
As I walked along the wall, I felt a mixture of emotions and feelings — dread, pride, inadequacy, respect, admiration, reverence, brotherhood… 58,256 names adorn the wall, the best of an entire generation. When I spoke to one vet he told me it took him twenty years to be able to build the emotional courage to visit the wall the first time. He had been to the wall five times and had not been able to get past the ropes and touch the wall. "I just can't."
A volunteer asked another vet if she could help find a name. His reply was, "There are so many. There are just too many"
Finding the Name (Photo by Dave Henderson.)
They answered the call and gave all. They gave their todays, their tomorrows. How do we honor them? Soldiers don't make national policy. They do however pay the price of those policy decisions. Thank you my brothers and sisters. Thank you for giving your tomorrows so that we can live our todays.
In Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row,That mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below.We are the dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved, and were loved, and now we lieIn Flanders fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from failing hands we throwThe torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who dieWe shall not sleep, though poppies growIn Flanders fields.
— John McCrae
A patch worn by a Veteran (Photo by Dave Henderson.)
Editor's Note: Originally published on May 4, 2008.
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Dave Henderson is the Vice-President of Operations for RIMOFTHEWORLD.net and it's parent company Vicinitas, LLC. Dave is the commercial and operational manager for the site.The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of RIMOFTHEWORLD.net. This column is copyrighted by Dave Henderson.
