Moving Wall HELPs US TO REMEMBER
Since 1984, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica has been touring cities and towns, giving people a chance to visit, pause and remember.
The recent display at Palmerton Borough Park, made possible by the work of Vietnam War veteran Stephen Vlossak and local veterans organizations, was a deeply moving experience.The wall is a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and is managed by Vietnam Combat Veterans in Michigan.It carries more than 58,000 names of those who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.Because it's half-size, the wall is portable, allowing it to be moved to various locations where it benefits folks who otherwise might not have an opportunity to visit the one in Washington.However, there's nothing half-size about the emotion it evokes.There are parents, siblings and children who've lost a loved one in Vietnam and for them, a visit to The Moving Wall is a deeply touching experience that's hard to put into words.The same holds true for those who lost friends in the controversial conflict.The wall honors heroes and acknowledges heartbreak.For instance, nearly 1,000 names on the wall have circles around them, indicating those still missing.There's a special pain carried by families whose loved ones vanished without an accounting.For them, "missing in action" is a daily reality and a bottomless hole that can never be filled. The Moving Wall tells us about this and so many other stories.And it's been all over the country. It went on display for the first time in Tyler, Texas, in October 1984. It visited Wilkes-Barre in the late 1980s.Having it on display in Palmerton was a special treat. Seeing it escorted down Delaware Avenue with great dignity was inspiring, a tremendous show of respect by organizers, United Veterans Organization of Palmerton, and to a community that knows how to honor sacrifice with a touch of class.The ceremony in Carbon County honored 18 local heroes. But others were on hand, too, including veterans from neighboring counties.One was a Tamaqua veteran who answered the call of duty at age 21 and ended up losing a leg in combat.He said he drove to Palmerton to remember three others who never made it home. For him, feelings ran deep.Many of us remember the Vietnam era as a time of civil unrest, protests and turmoil. It was a time of palpable distrust, even contempt, of government.Lost in all of the upheaval was the sacrifice of young men and women who answered the call of duty.As a result, Vietnam veterans returning home never received the warm welcome they deserved.We can't turn back the clock and relive those moments. We can never fully right a wrong.But The Moving Wall helps us to remember. It gives us an opportunity to reflect on aspects of an unpopular war and the families forever impacted.The Moving Wall tells a story of young men and women who nobly served their country.Some gave all, others never returned, still others returned maimed and injured, and virtually all returned home without the hero's welcome they had earned.In many ways, the 1960s and early '70s was a time of transition, an era that had too many victims.The Moving Wall is more than a sobering reminder of that time.It's an opportunity for us to pay respects, and to try and do justice to those whose lives were ended or forever altered by Vietnam.To all who served, we honor you today and always.To those who never returned and their families, you're in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.We grieve your loss and will never forget.By Donald R. Serfass |