Vets stand with Vietnam Wall in emotional closing ceremony

NCTimes ^ | April 26, 2004 | ROB O'DELL

[Dubya]

OCEANSIDE ---- More than 200 Vietnam veterans stood as one Sunday with the replica Vietnam Wall Experience visiting Oceanside. There were few dry eyes.

"On behalf of a grateful nation who has yet to fully pay its debt to you, I officially welcome you home," Marine Col. Bruce A. Giron told the veterans who stood in front of the wall to officially close its weekend visit.

The Third Marine Aircraft Wing Band played "Proud To Be an American." Then came a 21-gun salute. Finally, a bugle belted out taps. The few veterans not crying were visibly choked up.

"When that 21-gun salute went off, their knees buckled. That was something," said Lonnie Long, a Vietnam veteran and volunteer for the Vietnam Wall Experience. "There's no way to dignify war, you have to dignify the people."

Intense, overwhelming and emotional were the words most often used by those witnessing the ceremony.

Marianne Urbonas of San Diego said the veterans seemed to feel a collective sense of pride in their Vietnam service as they stood with the wall. Urbonas said she had never seen that before because the veterans had been scorned after returning home from war.

Curtis Williams, a Navy Seal in Vietnam, said at first he was wary of standing next to the wall.

"A piece of me didn't want to go up there," Williams said. "After so many years it feels strange to get recognized. I'm not used to it. It was very, very emotional."

The closing ceremony finished off what was a tremendously successful weekend for the veterans, the city and the organization that hosts the Wall, Dignity Memorial, a Houston-based mortuary company.

Terry Goodman, Oceanside's special events manager, said about 50,000 people turned out from Friday to Sunday to visit the Wall. Harry Hooper, who drives the Wall from location to location, said he has never seen a turnout like Oceanside had this weekend. Hooper said the average ceremony draws about 150 people, and Goodman estimated about 2,000 people turned out for the closing ceremony Sunday night.

Volunteers said that at 10 a.m. Sunday, the line to view the Wall stretched for a block and half south from the entrance on Pier View Way down Myers Street, nearly reaching Mission Avenue.

The Wall, the largest of three traveling replica walls, is three-quarters the size of the 10-foot-tall black-granite monument in Washington, D.C., designed by Maya Ying Lin.

Created in 1990, the replica has a mirrorlike, black, faux-granite finish and features the names of the more than 58,000 dead and missing Americans from the Vietnam War.

By the end of the day Sunday, the base of the Wall was literally littered with tributes from family members and friends of those whose names are etched on the Wall. Single-stem flowers, flower arrangements, pictures, newspaper clippings, wreaths and letters were strewn across the entire base of the 240-foot-long wall.

The closing ceremony featured a number of veterans who recounted stories of their fallen friends and comrades in Vietnam.

"There is little that we can promise you," Col. John Bates said of the men on the Wall. "What we can promise you is that we will never forget you ---- ever."

David Gregg, a Vietnam veteran and former Secret Service agent, told the crowd that the heroism of the vets must not be forgotten.

"The number 58,235 is not just a statistic when you see the names of those etched on the Wall," Gregg said.

J. Stryker Meyer, a North County Times columnist and Vietnam veteran of the Special Forces, drew a standing ovation when he told the crowd that they must defend the service of Vietnam veterans. He said very few were "war criminals" or "baby killers," but instead were heroes.

Meyer also talked about the Wall's effect on veterans and pointed out Kenny Smith, a veteran scarred by the war to the point that he has never discussed it with his family.

His son, 29-year-old Jeff Smith, choked up after the ceremonies as he talked about the profound effect the Wall has had on his father. Tears streamed out from underneath his black oval sunglasses as he talked about how the Wall has allowed his father to open up about his experiences.

"He doesn't talk about it at all," Smith said, struggling to get out all of his words. "In the last four days he has opened up. This is probably the best thing that has ever happened to him."

Contact staff writer Rob O'Dell at (760) 901-4067 or rodell@nctimes.com.

[Dubya]

Vietnam veteran Lance Kruse,
of Apple Valley, saluted during the presentation of colors during Sunday evening's closing ceremonies of the Vietnam Wall Experience. Kruse served from 1968 to 1971 with the Amphibious Group 1 and the 31st Marine Air Unit.

Michael Hennig/For the North County Times

[Dubya]

United States Marines stand ready
to perform a 21-Gun Salute during Sunday evening's closing ceremonies of the
Vietnam Wall Experience.

Michael Hennig/For the North County Times

[CedarDave]

I visited the wall in DC in the mid-1990's, as a Viet vet myself, it was one of the most moving experiences of my life. I can't explain it, but it is almost spiritual.

[CedarDave]

Marianne Urbonas of San Diego said the veterans seemed to feel a collective sense of pride in their Vietnam service as they stood with the wall. Urbonas said she had never seen that before because the veterans had been scorned after returning home from war.

Jane Fonda and John F. Kerry were more than a little responsible for that reception.

[annyokie]

[Dubya]

I can't explain it, but it is almost spiritual.

I understand CedarDave.

God bless you and thank you.

[annyokie]

it was one of the most moving experiences of my life. I can't explain it, but it is almost spiritual.

Yes, it is. I made a rubbing of my cousin's name and spent the rest of the day crying.

[Dubya]

Jane Fonda and John F. Kerry

I don't see how these live with theirselves.

[Dubya]

Thanks for posting the pix.

[Dubya]

God bless you and your cousin and his loved ones.

One of mine is there also. Sgt. McGinnis.

[annyokie]

You're welcome. Bless yours as well. Mine is SSgt. Monty Gilbert Lackus.

[Dubya]

Thank you.

[Dubya]

GOD BLESS ALL OF AMERICA'S VETS

[timydnuc]

A story, a true story.

I went to the "Wall" on the Mall in Washington only once. I am a Nam vet, and I lost many friends, comrades, in that war. I was 'doc' but I was a 101st Ranger first, I saved some, but I lost some too.

I walked slowly down the "Wall" trying to hold the tears in. I found a place to stand, in respect, for a moment in silence. I didn't even know that there was anybody around me, I didn't care. I heard a voice from another standing beside me. He was a much younger man. He said, "I came here to thank them. I have my freedom, and my Republic, and they picked up the tab". I smiled and shook my head to the affirmative. He asked me if I served in the Nam, and I just said, "yes". He reached out his hand and tried to thank me. I told him to thank them. They deserve it, I will just continue their fight, then I walked away. I wished that I could have told the young man things, I wish that I could have been more eloquent, I wished I had shaken his hand, but I couldn't. I don't think that I have ever been that moved.

I walked back to my hotel, a cab would have ruined the moment. The next day I went to my medical meeting feeling better, and more sad, and confused, but better than I had been.

[PISANO]

I could barely finish reading this............ I didn't know they were doing this for Nam Vets......I will make the pilgrimage to Wash DC someday, and face that WALL, so far I haven't found the inner strength to do it and I don't know why.

[Dubya]

Thank you for sharing with us. What a great way to feel about it.
None of us have the words that really express our total appreciation to those who gave all so we can be free.

[Dubya]

Thanks for your post. I am sure the Vets can feel the love you have for them in your heart.

[Dubya]

I need to go on a call. Back later folks.

[chiefqc]

What do you expect from a dried up has been and an empty suit???

[aikido2kyu]

I will recount my first visit to the Wall...

Background info,; I am 47, live in Ohio. My Dad is a Marine, serving 4 years from 1955-1959. He was sent to Beruit when Eisenhowser first sent the Marines to Lebanon in 57 or 58. I was born in Camp LeJeune, NC. One of my hobbies is Revolutionary War Living History (re-enactors). I play the fife.

Was in DC visiting a friend I have known for years, who spent 12 years in the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps (3rd US Infantry). He is a fife player. Another friend, she is from Michigan, also a fife player was there.

Jayne's cousin died in the war, so the 3 of us went to visit and gaze upon his name. It was early evening, just after dark, in the summer. We approached the wall, and there wasn't a word between us.

There were some people there, in various places, and the thing that struck me the most before we walked along the path in front of the wall was the complete Silance!!!

We looked up Jayne's cousins name, and started our slow trek, looking at the names. The three of us just held on to each other as we walked...and we found his name, and stopped. We didn't let go, and let our emotions out. It was very, very moving.

After a while, we continued down the path, to the end of the wall, and not saying a word, continued out walk towards the Korean War Memorial.

We started up the path of it, looking at the formation, almost as if the statues were alive. Round the top, and then the walk back down, and now looking at the wall full of faces. Crying the whole way. At the end of that wall we stopped, hugged, and made the following observation....the VietNam Wall, names with no faces, the Korean Wall, faces with no names, and how they complete the circle.

Tony