'The Wall' honors Vietnam vets for 20 years

Air Force Link ^ | 11/07/02 | Unknown

[SAMWolf]

'The Wall' honors Vietnam vets for 20 years

Thousands will gather at the National Mall in the coming days to witness and participate in ceremonies marking the 20th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

The weeklong remembrance began with a musical tribute to Vietnam veterans Nov. 6 and will end with a Veterans Day observance Nov. 11. In between, more than 1,000 volunteers will read the names inscribed on "The Wall," starting at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 7 and ending at midnight Nov. 10.

It is only the third time in The Wall's history that all 58,229 names will be read aloud. Volunteers, each reciting an average of 30 names, will read for about 19 hours each day Nov. 8-10. The full list of names was read in 1982 as part of the memorial's dedication and again in 1992 during activities commemorating the memorial's 10th anniversary.

Master Sgt. Angeline Robinson, the Pentagon's vice president of the Washington Area Top 3, will attend a reading for the second time, although this will be her first as a participant. She attended The Wall's 10th anniversary reading, and obtained a "wall rubbing" on behalf of her boss at the time, Adm. David E. Jeremiah, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The name of Jeremiah's nephew was one of those being read.

"When I remembered that, this year's reading became very significant to me," she said. "I decided to participate because it's a way to honor those who went before us."

Thirty-four Air Force members from the Washington Area Top 3 will read 540 names, beginning at 11:24 p.m. Nov. 8.

"It's a way for us to give back," Robinson said. "It's as simple as that."

For some, though, the symbolism of reading the names on The Wall goes deeper. One of those is Bao Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American who was once jailed by the North Vietnamese, later served as a South Vietnamese Army officer, and currently works at the Pentagon on the Air Force Chief Information Officer's staff.

"Each year (on Veterans Day), I have a need to express my gratitude to all American veterans in general, all the Vietnam veterans in particular, and to the more than 58,000 names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for their sacrifices to defend the freedom of a people in a place they hardly knew," Nguyen said. "(And it's) not just me alone. Overseas, Vietnamese are forever grateful for those sacrifices."

For more information on the 20th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Web site

[Jen]

Were you shopping in Kabul? Nice color, but I like your yellow dresses better. ;-)

[MistyCA]

Ohhh. There are no words to respond to that. You are so right, I know. Thanks so much for sharing that.

[MistyCA]

Oh, I didn't know about that Sam. Or I may have just forgotten. I am so proud to know that we added the names of the lost Canadians on our wall in Washington. This subject truly numbs me. The ghost of Vietnam will never fall. Nor should it.

[SAMWolf]

My chances were a lot better of going when I lived in the Chicago area.

The Memorial we have in Portland is beautiful and is Named the "Garden of Solace" It is made up of a series of mini walls along a spiral walkway.

Click the picture to see rotating camera view of the park

[MistyCA]

What? this old thing?

[SAMWolf]

Thanks again souris, very moving pictures.

Your puttig this old scrounger to shame.

[MistyCA]

Awesome post Souris. thanks for adding that. It really brings home the spirit of the Wall.

[SAMWolf]

I love that old thing.

[MistyCA]

:) That's why I keep it! :)

[wimpycat]

This is the only name I know on the wall. This is my mother's first cousin and he was killed before I was born. What makes it even more sad is that his last letter home to his mother (written on the back of a K-ration box) arrived 3 days after the telegram notifying the family of his death.

KENNETH ALRIC GORE
KENNETH ALRIC GORE was born on July 2, 1948 and joined the Armed Forces while in SHALLOTTE, NC. He served as a 11B20 in the Army.  In 1 year of service, he attained the rank of SGT/E4. On June 3, 1967, at the age of 18, KENNETH ALRIC GORE perished in the service of our country in South Vietnam, Hua Nghia. You can find KENNETH ALRIC GORE honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 21E, Row 46.

[habs4ever]

Thank you for that rememberance of those Canadians that fought and died in Vietnam.Canada is always there to help America, no matter what, or when, even if at times it seems like my country is ungrateful for the privilege if being a neighbour.That is a fiction spawned by liberals here.You have them as well, I am told.They lie a lot.

[SAMWolf]

KENNETH ALRIC GORE

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

I think that George Jones captured things pretty well in his song 50,000 Names on the Wall

Please follow the link to http://www.burghvets.homestead.com/thewall2.html Wait for the song to download and you'll get the whole song.

For some strange reason I ain't seeing the screen too clearly tonite.

[SAMWolf]

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

[BamaDi]

I was at the dedication of the Wall - had tickets for the VIP section. Met two guys from Calif who had hitchhiked there and gave them the tickets. a reporter was standing there and asked me why? my response? they earned seating at the ceremony for the wall...I was there because of them. I have visited it many times and cry each and every time. I lost HS classmates and family there and I hope the vets of our present day military are NEVER treated like the Vietnam vets were. God Bless America!

[wimpycat]

That's heartwrenching. George Jones is a Marine, a Korean War Veteran.