The Virtual Wall- An Internet Memorial

Me

[Bowana]

The Virtual Wall- An Internet Memorial

I visited The Vietnam Memorial, The Wall, in Washington D.C.. As we approached the wall people were talking and looking around the park, young and old alike. As we got closer to the wall it got quieter and quieter. The long line viewing the names on the wall was totally silent. A few approached to rub a pencil over a piece of paper and others just left personal items to honor their lost ones. These actions could not help but move anyone standing nearby. I was awestruck by the amount of people standing there and the total silence along the entire wall.

Now for those that have been to The Vietnam Memorial or those that haven't, there is a "Virtual Wall" on the Internet to honor those who died in service to our country.

In 1998 Winstar Communications and The Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Fund created "the Virtual Wall", an Internet website in honor of the men and women who lost their lives during the Vietnam War. Visitors can view an interactive image of the wall and zoom in on the names on the wall.

Visitors may add their own personal memorials to the names on the wall and even get a Virtual name rubbing. There is no charge to join The Virtual Wall and by doing so you may enter remembrances of those people you knew that lost their lives and even create your own personalized "My Virtual Wall" to keep track of postings to those that you knew.

Each name on the Virtual Wall links to a personal profile of that person. There is also the ability to link to those on the wall who have things in common with the person that you are viewing like; Other Veterans with the same last name who died in Vietnam, other Veterans from the same state, others who died on the same day, others who died in the same area of Vietnam, and others in the same branch of service.

For anyone who has any interest in The Vietnam War and those who died there for America, this site is a must see.

The Virtual Wall: http://www.thevirtualwall.org/

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"In the fall of 1982, a U.S. Navy officer walked up to the trench where the concrete for the foundation of The Wall was being poured. He stood over the trench for a moment, then tossed something into it and saluted. A workman asked him what he was doing. He said he was giving his dead brother's Purple Heart to The Wall. That was the first offering."

A book "Offerings at the Wall" is a collection of pictures and stories of items left at the Wall. The Smithsonian Institute has many of these items on exhibit. Some of them can be seen on their website:
http://photo2.si.edu/offerings/offerings.html

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My story from an MSNBC show called "Headliners and Legends" about an item left at the wall:
The Torment of War

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Happy Memorial Day to All, and To All that served and are serving our country now, I say THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY!<

[dansangel]

Thank-you! I will let you know if anything comes of this. I really appreciate this push in the right direction.

[Cagey]

Good Luck! I can only imagine how they would feel hearing from someone who had an MIA bracelt with his name on it.

[McLynnan]

Can't thank you enough for pinging me on this. I'm of the Viet Nam generation and one of the most emotional days of my life was the day I visited The Wall and found the names of so many men I knew. This site is a treasure. Off to send it to others. Thank you, thank you!

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thank you, for your moving essay and thanks also for the links.

Bump.

[Slam]

and thank you (as usual) for pinging me.

Peace to you this Memorial Day.

[The Mayor]

Thanks for the Ping and the Post...Excellent links

[Bowana]

Check your Freep mail.

[glock rocks]

[blackie]

Bump !!

[Alamo-Girl]

bump!

[takenoprisoner]

humbling gutwrenching tearful

[Vigilantcitizen]

Thanks for the ping, 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub.

Excellent essay, Bowana.

[RangerVetNam]

Thanks for the ping, I just finished a bittersweet walk down memory lane.

[texson66]

Thanks for posting the Virtual Wall site. I visited and saw some rememberances of my college classmate. There were no pictures of him so I scanned in a photo from the yearbook and posted it. It was the least I could do. He paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us. Thanks, Bob, and thanks to all veterans, living and dead, who have served our nation so faithfully.

I hope all FReepers took part in the moment of rememberance at 3 pm local on Memorial Day.