The Viet Nam Wall and you.

[unhappycamper]

Do you have a friend or a loved one whose name is one of the 58,173 on the Viet Nam Wall? Today would be a good day to honor them.

Frederick William Lennon, panel 11E, line 083

SP4 - E4 - Army - Regular
Special Forces
22 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Sep 21, 1944
From SIOUX CITY, IOWA
Length of service 2 years.
His tour of duty began on Jan 20, 1966
Casualty was on Oct 17, 1966
SOUTH VIETNAM
Hostile, died while missing
GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered
Religion
ROMAN CATHOLIC

RIP friend.

You can find your friend or loved one at: http://www.thewall-usa.com/


on edit: to clarify which Wall

[SouthernDem2004]

1. Visiting the wall is the only time I have ever seen my father cry.

Very moving experience.

[MuseRider]

2. Capt. Richard Claflin

I did not know him, I was lucky because all the friends that I had who went to Nam returned. I wore Captain Claflin's POW/MIA bracelet for years, 1970 until long after the war ended. I saw his name on the wall and had an etching made. I cried like he was my brother. It is amazing how the simple act of wearing the bracelet made me feel like I knew him and I felt true grief knowing he never came home. Here is what I found on the site about him.

MAJ - O4 - Air Force - Regular
34 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Jul 02, 1939
From KANSAS CITY, KANSAS
His tour of duty began on Jul 26, 1967
Casualty was on May 28, 1974
NORTH VIETNAM
Hostile, died while missing
FIXED WING - CREW
AIR LOSS, CRASH ON LAND
Body was not recovered
Religion
METHODIST

Panel 24E - - Line 2

[kliljedahl]

3. Army - SGT - E5 JERRY ALLEN FRAKES

Was the first, there are over 30 now. I can't see it, even the replica, without tearing up.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[kliljedahl]

4. KICK!! because it's important

Keith’s Barbeque Central

[unhappycamper]

5. I'm really surprised at the lack of response from DUers. n/t

[kliljedahl]

6. Me too

Maybe only younguns on now.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[maveric]

7. My good friend's older brother. LCPL William Nicholas Loomis

William Nicholas Loomis

LCPL - E3 - Marine Corps - Regular
18 year old Single, Caucasian, Male
Born on Jan 15, 1949
From SALEM, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Length of service 1 year.
Casualty was on Sep 13, 1967
in QUANG TRI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered
Religion
ROMAN CATHOLIC

He was fresh out of High School, an early grad who wanted to be a Marine.
The first funeral I've ever been to.

[unhappycamper]

8. My first war funeral left a lasting impression on me. n/t

[Stinky The Clown]

9. There is no memorial in the entire world as painfully eloquent as this one

We were there just today. Our most recent of many, many visits.

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3753833

There are more than 58,000 names on that wall. The names being there ... every single one of them, speak as loudly as anything you might imagine. Each name a person who was loved. Each name a person who never was able to test their full worth. Each name a life cut short.

In years gone by, there were mementos left. Seemingly insignificant trinkets and incredibly valuable items. The stick shift knob from a GTO. A dried prom corsage. A child's toy. A sweater knitted for an infant by a loving and now grieving mother. A high school yearbook. A football and a baseball glove, a letter sweater. Letters, now unmailed since the Captain in his dress uniform came up the front walk instead of the mailman. The menu from the Dairy Queen in East Nowhere. Slices of life so sharp and poignant they can cut like a razor through the flesh of the most hardened man's heart.

We **all** have loved ones on The Wall.