PAGE ONE COMMENTARY
THE WALL IS COMING
PHOTO: THE WALL IN WASHINGTON
Photo credit: Seny Norasingh.
It appears on the cover of The Wall, a book of photographs of
and writings about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, published
by Collins Publishers in 1987.
Around Veterans Day it seems appropriate to write about “The Wall”— the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC.
The preamble to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial states that the it is: “In honor of the men and women of the armed forces of the United States who served in the Vietnam War. The names of those who gave their lives and of those who remain missing are inscribed in the order they were taken from us.”
The full memorial officially consists of three separate individual memorials: “The Three Soldiers” statue, “The Vietnam Women’s Memorial” and “The Wall,” which is the most recognized memorial.
The wall listed 58,159 names when it was completed in 1993. By May 2007, there were 58,256 names, including eight women. A few names have been added each year where lost records of wartime death were found or those who died after the war from physical injuries as a result of the war could be confirmed.
But you don’t have to travel to Washington to visit “The Wall”— it also comes to you. “The Moving Wall” will be in Key West for two days, at Key West High School, December 12-14. A California Vietnam veteran, John Devitt, attended the 1982 dedication ceremonies of “The Wall.” He believed that the memorial had a “healing effect” on many veterans and families and began to work toward a transportable version. Using personal finances, he founded Vietnam Combat Veterans, Ltd. Its website can be found at www.themovingwall.org A half-size replica, “The Moving Wall,” was first put on display in Texas in 1984.
Because so many wanted The Moving Wall to come to their cities, the waiting list became long. So, in 1987, Vietnam Combat Veterans built a second structure of The Moving Wall. A third structure was added in 1989.
The Moving Wall visits hundreds of small towns and cities throughout the USA, staying several days at each site. Through it, those who are not able to travel to Washington can see and touch the names of friends or loved ones in their own home town.
Local arrangements for each visit are made months in advance by veteran’s organizations and other civic groups. Thousands of people across the country have volunteered their time and money to help honor the fallen. The numbers of people who visit The Moving Wall, at each display, range from several thousand to more than 50,000. It is estimated that total visitors are in the tens of millions.
As the Wall moves from town to town on interstates, it is often escorted by state troopers and local citizens. As it passes towns, even when it is not stopping in those towns, local veterans organizations frequently plan for local citizens to gather by the highway and across overpasses to wave flags and salute “The Wall.”
If you still can’t visit “The Wall,” at least go to www. viewthewall.com where you’ll find a virtual tour. Here, you can look up the names and location on “The Wall” of the fallen. You also can look through the panels one by one. I can tell you, however, that’s not the same as being there.
On many past Veterans days, like many of my soldier friends, I have traveled to Washington, DC. Our habit was to visit Arlington National Cemetery, stay for the laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and end up at “The Wall.”
We’d visit “The Wall” to tell our friends on it, who couldn’t answer, that they were remembered and that we planned to see them again. To me, another value of “The Wall” is that it is a single place where both the living and the dead can be together in peace. This year, since the Moving Wall is coming to Key West, I’ll stay here and pay my regards and respects. I encourage you to do the same.
One of the volunteers at the Moving Wall has written about its effect: “Many people came who were not related, but knew one or more of the men named on the Wall. A high school teacher told me ‘I taught four of these boys.’ Others said: ‘He was the little boy who lived across the street.;’ ‘We were going steady in high school.;’ ‘He delivered my newspapers;’ ‘I was his Boy Scout leader;’ ‘He went to our church;’ ‘I worked with his mother at the time he was killed;’ ‘My son played football with him,’ or ‘We were classmates for twelve years.’ There were hundreds of similar personal connections between the visitor and one or more names on the Wall.”
To other visitors, the names were not as personal, but still were significant: “I didn’t know him, but I remember how it shocked the town when he died.“ “I just wanted to pay my respects.” “I didn’t know any of them, thank God.” “I came to show support for the vets who came back.” Or “My son went to Vietnam, but he came back OK.”
If you visit either “The Moving Wall” or “The Wall” itself, I encourage you to locate and stop by Panel 04W, Lines 102-104 near the bottom and meet my fellow paratroopers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Say thanks to my radio-telephone operator (“RTO”) Wayne Borowski; one of my Squad Leaders, Arthur Best; Fire Team Leader Robert Kiser and our Medic, “Doc” Rog.
I like to think that my absent friends, always young in my memory, will appreciate your visit. And finally, don’t confine your thanks to the Vietnam Veterans— any Vet will do, and all will welcome your kind words.
EDITOR’S NOTE: During his military service, Michael Barnes commanded Army Airborne, Ranger and Mechanized Infantry units. As a platoon leader in the 173rd Airborne Brigade, in Vietnam, he was awarded three Purple Hearts and the Silver Star.
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