The Vietnam Memorial (The Moving Wall) comes to Murphy NC

<p>Hi all, i have been seeing billboards around my town for a couple of months that the moving wall was coming to murphy. murphy nc is a small town located in the far western part of the state, within 20 miles to either tennessee or georgia. My youngest son and I went this morning, not many folks had gotten there yet, the last couple of days thousands had already been, it was an emotional time for many that were there, before you entered the walkway there was a tent set up that had a couple of veterans there helping people locate names on the wall, one of the men looking to be around 70 asked me, "do you need help finding a name?" i said " no sir, i really dont know anyone that would be on here" he looked at me and replied "well son, i suppose thats a good thing"</p><div></div>

<p>as I looked around at the men that were there, many had caps on or shirts that stated the branch of service that they served in, </p><div></div>

<p>Image 3</p><div></div>

<p>Image 4</p><div></div>

<p>Image 5</p><div></div>

<p>Image 6, the sign below says "Mike Murphey, now that you're old enough to drink, this bud's for you</p><div></div>

<p>image 7</p><div></div>

<p>Image 8</p><div></div>

<p>image 8</p><div></div>

<p>I didnt list the camera i used for these because it doesnt really matter. everyone on this wall paid the ultimate price, to me they are heros, but to most of the men and women that were here today, they were not just heros but best friends, neighbors, brothers and fathers. it was an emotional time</p>

<p>Wow, John, for me the last photo says it all.</p>

I was moved, too, when a Wall came to Boulder, CO. Seeing the Memorial in Washington is even more moving.

 

These men and women are heroes, and also victims. One couldn't build a wall big enough to list all the victims of this war. And Viet Nam was just one war. When one of my daughters saw the Wall in Washington at age 10, she suggested that all Presidents should visit the Wall just before they decide to wage war.

 

Of course, the best camera to have used would have been a Nikon F. ;-)

 

--Marc

<p>I saw the wall a few years ago in Florida. It's hard to leave it without a lump in your throat. Great set of photos John...</p>

<p>Very powerful and moving photographs. Well done.</p>

<p>as we were leaving, a friend of my parents was walking toward us getting ready to see the wall, we stopped and chatted for a moment, he told me he wasnt sure if he was going to be able to do this or not, he looked like he had been crying already, i didnt know what to say, he said that there were so so many that he served with that whose names would be there, we said our goodbyes and i began walking toward my car, i turned around just in time to see him turn the corner where the wall was, all i could think was, lord, please be with him.</p>

<p>Saw the wall in DC. My school had a few that would be listed. Just a year or so older than me.Very moving.</p>

<p>I am a Viet vet. I worked in DC for 18 years. I went to the Wall regularly during that time. To me it simultaneously honors by name those comrades who died there while as a black scar in the ground it is testimony to the futility of war. To quote A. Lincoln, who sits not far away in his Memorial; "that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth" These men and women died for their country. I believe and hope that there has been some purpose to their common sacrifice. God Bless them and all those who came before and those who have and will come after them. </p>

<p>At the age of 18, I was in Vietnam too, Dick, (1969-70) and some of my school friends who were also on National Service, did not come back. But we did not think we were defending our country (it was someone else's), but rather we were carrying out our sworn duty as Australian soldiers. <br>

Here, during induction, then and now, recruits are told quite simply that they would be required to kill or be killed if they were in a combat situation. And if we had a problem with that then the infantry was not for us. We were under no illusion as to what was required. The SLR was in our hands for a reason.<br>

We also endured the hostility of the over politicized situation when we returned, but now we bask in the warmth of the respect our younger generations show us each year on Anzac Day.<br>

We too have a wall of remembrance. Its in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. here is the pic. I think that the idea of a traveling wall is a great idea, so that regional communities can get an idea of what its all about.</p>

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<p>Stephen, although this thread is based on the war in Viet Nam, your post hit home to me.</p>

<p>My grandfather entered the army just prior to the US entering WWII. His first year of the war he was sent to Australia to help fight the Japanese. When the fighting moved off he and his unit followed then fought for four bloody years throughout the pacific. He and his twin brother served in the same unit and toward the end of the war both he and his brother were doing recon on a hill in the Philippines. They met on the backside of the hill and were discussing their plan when a Japanese sniper shot and killed his brother. Shortly after, he was wounded himself and was shipped back to Australia once again to recover from his wounds. Of 200-odd in his unit, seventeen or so survived the war.</p>

<p>All his life he would not talk of the war directly, but would come to tears when he told me of the wonderful people of Australia and the love and deep respect he had for them. He had wanted to return to Australia for good after the war but life got in the way and he was never able to return there. He died a few years ago.</p>

<p>So, for him, I want to thank you and your countrymen for the love you showed my grandfather and to tell you of the impression your nation made upon him all those years ago. Thank You.</p>

<p>I had no idea there was a moving wall of the memorial. Very touching.</p>

<p> Too many touching stories about the Vietnam war. I remember when I was in the Vietnamese Marines in the red hot firing terrible summer of 1972 when my battaillon was among the forces to retake the Quang-Tri citadel, in one day my platoon lost 2/3 of fighting soldiers (died and wounded)<br>

I didn't know many of our allied American Marines, but my battaillon comrades told me they saw the names of them on the black-wall... so sad a memory!!!</p>

<p>As a resident of a Northern Virginia community eight miles from DC I can tell you that The Wall is something that has to be experienced first had to be believed. I'm moved to find out that there is a traveling version - I had no idea until your post. Thank you for that. </p>

<p>I remember when Ms. Lin's vision was unveiled and the harsh criticism of it by many. Her vision for this tribute to the many who were sacrificed at the temple of idiocy that was the Vietnam conflict is a gut wrenching, humbling, and beautifully brutal thing. I've spent many hours there. </p>

<p>The perhaps most striking thing about The Wall is that there is NONE of the horseplay that is present at the other memorials. No one, ever, comes to the wall in any other than at bare minimum a respectful manner. Ironically, that is saved for the bronze statue that was placed at the entrance to it of a group of soldiers - placed there in a "compromise" with those who couldn't understand the profound nature of Maya Lin's work.</p>

<p>For whom they died . . . . and for whom they dying now . . . . . . .?</p>

Thanks guys for the great responses

<p>I don't know what to say</p>