When the traveling Wall came to Waseca, MN a few years ago, my husband and I went to visit it. The experience was SO MOVING, and the depth of the feeling was so rich (there were benches placed nearby. All of them had at least one veteran, just sitting, some weeping, some just staring at the wall) that it was overwhelming. In deep grief, I found the name of the young brother-in-law I had never met, killed when his chopper was shot down.
It is very hard to describe the sorrow that envelops one when they walk along that wall. If the replica evokes this kind of feeling, I can't even imagine the anguish and grief that would be experienced at the original Wall.
God bless EVERY person represented on that wall, and God bless all who have served anywhere, those who are presently serving, and those who are yet to serve. We are FOREVER in your debt. Pray for us.
There are Fifty Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and Nine ( 58,209 ) names inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., one hundred and three (103) of those names are of known Canadians who served and did not return from the Vietnam war. Although these Veterans where honored along with their fellow brothers and sisters from the United States they were never recognized by their own country, Canada.
For over a century Canada and the United States have stood side by side not only as neighbours, but as one when it came to the freedom that both countries cherish. There are several Vietnam Veterans Memorial's located in Canada and in no way do we wish to diminish the importance of any of these memorials.
The significance of the Canadian Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, is that a small group in Michigan U.S.A. called M.A.C.V. (Michigan Association of Concerned Veterans), felt that their Canadian brothers and sisters, who gave their lives for the lives of others deserved to be recognized and accounted for, at home in Canada. This small group of Veterans proceeded to make this dream a reality, They fought through the many hardships that comes with caring, they designed, built, and donated the memorial to be placed on Canadian soil, making this Memorial very special to the families of those who gave their lives for the freedom of others.
This is my young brother-in-law. This little profile doesn't tell you that he left a young wife and two small daughters, or that Larry and Linda were childhood sweethearts. It doesn't tell you that he and his wife were distant cousins. I am determined to honor this young man. With the exception of his parents, spouse and children and siblings, I don't think anyone has given him personal, individual honor for his service since the day the flag was presented to Linda and the casket was lowered into the ground. We all honor all our fallen heroes, but it would take forever to give each of them the recognition he deserves, so we usually honor them as a group of whatever size. For this reason, I post this information here, so you all can know that Larry has never been forgotten.