An Experience At the Vietnam War Memorial
Bill Smith, Editor (updated Dec. 16, 2013): I have been asked about my experience at the Vietnam War Memorial - "The Wall." I will try to keep it short. I was in the Air Force from 1966-1988. I was newly married and age 19, when I was drafted. I did not object to or regret going into the military. However, as with many others, the Vietnam War left me some what bitter.
When the Vietnam War Memorial was built, my wife urged me to go to see it. I refused for years. Finally, her pleas won out and we went to the Memorial. I looked up names of fallen comrades in the directory, so we could find their names on the panels where the names are randomly placed.
As I approached the panel with the first name on our list, a light (maybe a sun beam) broke forth and struck the panel I approached. It brightly highlighted one engraved name - my name. I couldn't believe it and was quite shaken. Then a voice spoke to me - to very my soul - saying, "Your name is on the wall, but you are not." And a peace surrounded me wiping away by bitterness, anger and regret. Later, after visiting the names on our list, I went back to the directory and looked up my name. There are10 26 William Smith names on the Wall and two of them are William Eugene Smith (my name) who were 8 and 10 months younger than me. Click To locate or review the names of those identified on the Vietnam War Memorial.
Needless to say, I appreciate the Vietnam War Memorial, but truthfully it does not hold the names of all those killed by the war. But that is another story. God Bless our servicemen and women and veterans as we remember them again on Memorial Day.
Tags: Bill Smith, Vietnam War Memorial, The Wall To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
When the Vietnam War Memorial was built, my wife urged me to go to see it. I refused for years. Finally, her pleas won out and we went to the Memorial. I looked up names of fallen comrades in the directory, so we could find their names on the panels where the names are randomly placed.
As I approached the panel with the first name on our list, a light (maybe a sun beam) broke forth and struck the panel I approached. It brightly highlighted one engraved name - my name. I couldn't believe it and was quite shaken. Then a voice spoke to me - to very my soul - saying, "Your name is on the wall, but you are not." And a peace surrounded me wiping away by bitterness, anger and regret. Later, after visiting the names on our list, I went back to the directory and looked up my name. There are
Needless to say, I appreciate the Vietnam War Memorial, but truthfully it does not hold the names of all those killed by the war. But that is another story. God Bless our servicemen and women and veterans as we remember them again on Memorial Day.
Tags: Bill Smith, Vietnam War Memorial, The Wall To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Posted by Bill Smith at 10:30 PM - Post Link
21 Comments:
Thank you all and God Bless.
I've never been to the Wall in D.D., but have gone to the Traveling Wall twice now. Even they are emotional.
God Bless you and Thank you for your service Bill. My husband is a Vietnam Vet and you all hold a special place in my heart and in this Country's history.
God Bless you and Thank you for your service Bill. My husband is a Vietnam Vet and you all hold a special place in my heart and in this Country's history.
From one Air Force vet to another...thanks for serving sir. I was only in for 18 months because of the De-escalation. I was an air craft mech and they had WAY too many of em. They asked and I said OK. I was more than a little PO'ed at the politicians back then as you can imagine...
From one Air Force vet to another...thanks for serving sir. I was only in for 18 months because of the De-escalation. I was an air craft mech and they had WAY too many of em. They asked and I said OK. I was more than a little PO'ed at the politicians back then as you can imagine...
I went in the air force in 59-got out sept 62 - did not go to vn- I was PO'ed at the demonstrators esp at the one who spat on returning vn vets- made me sick-most those were democrats-turned me even further against the democratic party.
I was stationed at the Pentagon when the wall opened. I had lost several of my brothers in Nam, and at first didn't want to visit. My Mom came to visit us and have been requested by a mother in our home town to please find her son's name and get a rub of it; needless to say, I had to go with my mother - we found Carl's name - Mom got the rub - and I felt compelled to look at the wall and find other names of friends inscribed on that black granite. My wife had to drive home to our quarters on Ft Myer, as I was not able to see through the tears. Even though I had not been allowed to go (I volunteered 4 times) I still felt a sense of guilt and great sadness that all those lives had been given to a cause that failed to accomplish the stated goals. I'm more composed today; I still have moments of dispair, but my wife has helped (along with a good shrink) me to understand there was a reason I was not allowed to go... Maybe it is because I am alive to help other vets obtain the benefits they so greatly deserve; maybe something else - whatever that cause may be, I will forever and always respect and revere those who have laid down their lives for the cost of freedom.
Wow. Thanks for serving, and thanks for writing, Bill.
Have seen the traveling wall twice and the Washinton wall once. Went to all the war memorials in DC. Very solemn and humbling experience. Somehow you 'feel' the weight of all the lives lost for our freedom. I am so thankful my bro came home safe but forever effected by this dreadful political war. Was Vietnam EVER declared a war? Or remains a "military aid mission, police action or whatever name was hung on it?
Have seen the traveling wall twice and the Washinton wall once. Went to all the war memorials in DC. Very solemn and humbling experience. Somehow you 'feel' the weight of all the lives lost for our freedom. I am so thankful my bro came home safe but forever effected by this dreadful political war. Was Vietnam EVER declared a war? Or remains a "military aid mission, police action or whatever name was hung on it?
My dad was a Vietnam vet. He was a great man, and he always told me, a great patriot doesn't spit, nor run his mouth negatively against any veterans or the wars they fought in whether or not they agreed with the war. My dad had proudly served this country and he was proud of this country. He did not discuss anything that happened over there so I won't ever know but I'm a proud American and proud daughter of a veteran who has passed away. God bless and thank you to all who have served and serve today.
My dad was a Vietnam vet. He was a great man, and he always told me, a great patriot doesn't spit, nor run his mouth negatively against any veterans or the wars they fought in whether or not they agreed with the war. My dad had proudly served this country and he was proud of this country. He did not discuss anything that happened over there so I won't ever know but I'm a proud American and proud daughter of a veteran who has passed away. God bless and thank you to all who have served and serve today.
I missed the war by about a year, I got out of the service before things escalated there but I lost some friends there and most of the Cadre they trained us in basic were killed there. I salute you all, God bless!
I missed the war by about a year, I got out of the service before things escalated there but I lost some friends there and most of the Cadre they trained us in basic were killed there. I salute you all, God bless!
That gave me shivers just now. And tears. I'm grateful for you, and for all those, whether their names are there or not. Thank you.
Great story! sharing!
Thanks Bill.
Thanks Bill.
I read the following stats and wept!
The Wall - some history
A little history most people will never know.
Interesting Veterans Statistics off the Vietnam Memorial Wall.
There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall, including those added in 2010.
The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to believe it is 36 years since the last casualties.
The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth , Mass. Listed by the U.S. Department of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965.
There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall.
39,996 on the Wall were just 22 or younger.
8,283 were just 19 years old.
The largest age group, 33,103 were 18 years old.
12 soldiers on the Wall were 17 years old.
5 soldiers on the Wall were 16 years old.
One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old.
997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam .
1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam .
31 sets of brothers are on the Wall.
Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons.
54 soldiers attended Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia . I wonder why so many from one school.
8 Women are on the Wall. Nursing the wounded.
244 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153 of them are on the Wall.
Beallsville , Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons.
West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation. There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall.
The Marines of Morenci - They led some of the scrappiest high school football and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered. They enjoyed roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the Apache National Forest . And in the patriotic camaraderie typical of Morenci's mining families, the nine graduates of Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps. Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home.
The Buddies of Midvale - LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom Gonzales were all boyhood friends and lived on three consecutive streets in Midvale, Utah on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues. They lived only a few yards apart. They played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field. And they all went to Vietnam . In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed. LeRoy was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, the fourth anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination. Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day. Tom was shot dead assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 ~ 245 deaths.
The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 - 2,415 casualties were incurred.
It was such an amazing Vietnamese memorials post and very heart touchy. thanks for sharing this post i just loved it
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