Vietnam Wall Experience

[tf116]

Have seen the moving wall, also the one in D.C.. knew some of folks who names are on the wall. I'm 120% disabled from that dang ole war also.....haven't been able to work since 94....been messed up since around late sixties....
But sympathies....have live the life that we are dealt.....better than mom's brother(he was killed in WW2 in battle for Bridge at Remagen)....dad was also in WW2 on PT Boats........in MED and Pacific.....
Have the picture that was mentioned .."Reflection"...didn't know who the man at the wall was though.....Mike

 

[BubbaJr]

I'm an emotional person. I cry at sad movies even.

I've visited the mobile Wall a couple of times and each time it's left me pretty tore up. There's just something about it that is so overwhelming. I think I'd get emotional even if I wasn't a veteran of that War.

We went to DC back in the mid 80's with our daughter as sort of an educational vacation. One of our stops was "The Wall". The first thing that hit me were the incredible number of names. Then a feeling of great sadness came over me for all the guys my age that never made it back home. I remember turning around to wipe a few tears from my eyes so my wife and daughter wouldn't see me get emotional over names on stone. It was even worse when I found a friend of mines name on it.

The only other time I've gotten that emotional was at the civil war cemetery in Gettysburg PA. That one just sent cold chills up my spine, and a wave of sadness settled over me that lasted the rest of the day.

I think everyone should make it to the wall at least once in their lives. You then realize it was about the young men that were killed and not about the politics of the time. I remember that at the time they were picking a design for the monument, there was a lot of animosity that the design went to a young Asian girl. I think she nailed it with her simplistic design. It's probably one of the most thought provoking and emotional monuments ever designed IMHO.

 

[timb]

I don't know anyone who hasn't felt the impact the first time they've seen any version of the Wall. My wife (who is a little too young to remember much about that war) and I got a chance to see the traveling Wall a few years ago. It was set up at a local park, and she didn't pay too much attention where she was going as we walked through the entrance to the park. All of a sudden it was right in front of us and it stopped her cold in her tracks. She just stared at it for some time and finally got out "all those names... I never realized..." It was a very sobering moment and she never forgot it.

 

[InlineDieselFan]

a few years back I was in the other Washington, went and saw almost all of the monuments and musuems in town.

The Vietnam memorial wall was very moving and heart tugging. Perhaps because I remember seeing all of the news about the war as a kid. Then as a soldier all of my E-6's and up were Vietnam vets.

The Marine Corps monumnet was fantastic, reading all of the wars and battles the corps had fought in was surprising, many I had never heard of, and I like military history.

But for me Arlington National Cemetary was the biggest heart wrencher. Thousands and thousands of perfectly aligned crosses covering a whole bunch of land, it brought back the memories of the allied soldiers cemetaries I had seen while in Europe.

steve

 

[HGM]

Guys,
My family and I took a DC vacation this summer and It was by far the best vacation any of us ever took.. If you ever decide to go, I may be able to provide a couple pointers/recomendations... The highlight for me was Arlington as well, just the shear size of the place and history that is memorialized ther was overwhelming...

As for The Wall, WOW......... My dad and uncle were in Vietnam, so I heard some stories.. For whatever reason, even though I am not a vet, I have a different respect for you guys that were there than alot of people my age and I think it goes back to how you were treated when you came home and the offspring of those ungreatfull _________...... Anyhow, unfortunatly, you dont hear it nearly enough but, Thank You.. This country wouldnt be the same if not for you guys and all of the soldiers that came before and after you..

If your in DC, check out the other memorials as well.. I thought the Korea monument was awsome as well... The Smithsonian Museum of American History also has the orriginal flag That our Star Spangled Banner was written for as well as the flag that drapped the Pentagon after 9/11.. If your the least bit patriotic, these will stop you in your tracks just for the meaning and history that they represent..My 11yr old son was in awe the whole week, and he is rarely speachless.. Definitly a must see...

 

[KennethBrown]

I saw the travelling wall when it was in Huntsville Texas. Being that I'm only 32 I was never anywhere near the age to serve. My father was US Navy on the Destroyer Earnest G Small during 66-69. He has told some very vivid stories but prefers to keep them to hisself. Many times when I was a kid he would wake up freaking out, thankfully he's lots better now. I have the rubbings of both my mom and my dads cousins that didn't make it home. My darn eyes are full of tears right now. Theres something about it that just kills me. I always had a feeling that I was there. Re-incarnated ya know. Way too weird.

 

[mikim]

Was in DC a few years back - am a viet vet so the wall was a must see ...it is impressive. Went to the Smithsonian air museum (usaf) and in there was an F4 motor that I had spent many hours on ... had a hard time understanding why it was there instead of in service .... NOT THAT OLD YET! or maybe I am ....anyway I was explaining to the wife everything on it and how hard it was to reach this or that when it was mounted in the plane etc ... and the difficult time I would have with this problem or that.... guess I was pretty wrapped up in what I was telling her ... turned around and discovered I had an audience of about a dozen folks! Maybe I shoulda collected a tour fee!
story #2 ... walking through the library at the community college in Austin - there was a young fella watching newsreels of Vietnam ... I asked him why? was it for a class? He said "of course - history" HISTORY? Do I look like history to you? ..... he didn't answer ....guess he didn't want to hurt my feelings.

 

[InlineDieselFan]

[
story #2 ... walking through the library at the community college in Austin - there was a young fella watching newsreels of Vietnam ... I asked him why? was it for a class? He said "of course - history" HISTORY? Do I look like history to you? ..... he didn't answer ....guess he didn't want to hurt my feelings.[/QUOTE]

In college (as in community not university) I took a Vietnam history class, the first day of class the teacher was doing his intro and said you are all living history right now!! Some of us have a little more history than others, so pay attention to things that go on in life you may one day become a history teacher.

He was to young to be in WWII so he went into the merchant marine service, when he turned 18 he joined the Army and the war ended. Then he went off to Korea, he was impressed by the Marines so much that when his enlistment was up he joined them and served 30 years in the corps and retired as a Sgt. Major.

So I guess that you are not really old you just have more history than the kid.

steve

 

[Doc_Bob]

I don't know anyone who hasn't felt the impact the first time they've seen any version of the Wall.

My eyes tear up whenever I think of it. Simple monument with the power to touch my heart.
Bob

 

[ovrszd]

The Wall came to a little town in Northern Missouri this summer. I saw it in D.C. twenty years ago. My wife had never seen it. Her, my brother-in-law and his wife went to see it. I gave them a small list of names of those I knew that are listed. It was very moving for them. I only wish I had been there to see it with them. Very moving and usually a shock over how many names there are. There were more than twenty times more losses in Vietnam than there have been in Iraq. One loss is immeasurable but that War took a heavy toll for the end result. I came home to protests in the L.A. airport as I waited for a flight back to Missouri. Myself and three other soldiers were called "baby killers". We backed ourselves in a corner and waited for our flight.

I think the lesson for a nation in regards to the Wall is that we never forego our soldiers again like we did then. It certainly wasn't their fault. Just like it's not the soldiers of today's fault. God Bless America!!!!