I just got home from the closing ceremonies at The Traveling Wall. The Dress Blues will go to the cleaners and back into the cedar chest until Memorial Day.
Tonight as I gazed at panel 30W and the name of a high school friend, I happened to glance over to panel 31W. Halfway down the list of names I discovered another high school classmate.
At the conclusion of the ceremonies, The Lord's Prayer was prayed in unison as a benediction followed by "Taps" by a trumpeter. I snapped to attention and rendered a sharp salute with tears streaming down my cheeks.
At the end of taps, I returned my gaze towards the wall. Several people approached me and said the words "Thank You." A young boy about 10 or eleven came up and held out his hand and said thank you. He then said, "I just wanted you to know that I have the deepest respect for you" and patted me on the back as he departed. Coming from one so young, I have great hope in this country and a new generation that hold the values of freedom, patriotism and liberty as did past generations.
May God Bless America and the Armed Forces of the United States past and present.