This page is dedicated to ALL the men and women
who proudly served our country and lost their lives
as a result of their heroic efforts.
May you all find the rest and peace you deserve.
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If you’ve ever seen the painting
“Reflections”
of the Vietnam Wall in Washington, you’ve seen
the man standing there with his hand on the wall, mourning
his dead father or brother who was killed.
What he doesn’t see is the reflection from the other
side showing that relative with HIS hand on the wall,
touching the hand of his survivor.
That painting inspired this story.
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At first there was no place for us to go until someone put up that BLACK GRANITE WALL. Now, everyday and
night, my Brothers and my
Sisters wait to see the many people from places afar file in front of this Wall. Many stopping briefly and many for
hours and some that
come on a regular basis. It was hard at first, not that it’s gotten any easier, but it seems that many of the attitudes
towards that war that we were involved in have changed. I can only pray that the ones on the other side have
learned something and more Walls as this one needn’t be built.
Several members of my unit and many that I did not recognize have called me to the Wall by touching my name
that is engraved upon it.
The tears aren’t necessary but are hard even for me to hold back.
Don’t feel guilty for not being with me, my Brothers. This was my destiny as
it is yours, to be on that side of the Wall.
Touch the Wall,
my Brothers, so that we can share in the memories that we had. I have learned to put the bad memories aside and
remember only the pleasant times that we had together. Tell our other Brothers out there to come and visit me, not
to say Good Bye but to
say Hello and be together again, even for a short time and to ease that
pain of loss that we all share.
Today,
an irresistable and loving call comes from the Wall. As I approach I can see an elderly lady and as I get closer I
recognize her.
…It’s Momma! As much as I have looked forward to this day, I have also regretted it because I didn’t know what
reaction I would
have.
Next to her,
I suddenly see my wife and immediately think how hard it must of been for her to come to this place and my mind
floods with the
pleasant memories of 30 years past. There’s a young man in a military uniform standing with his arm around
her…
My God!..
It’s…it has to be my son. Look at him trying to be the man without a tear in
his eye.I yearn to tell him how proud I am, seeing him standing tall, straight
and proud in his uniform.
Momma comes closer and touches the Wall and I feel the soft and gentle touch I had not felt in so many years. Dad
has crossed to
this side of the Wall and through our touch, I try to convey to her
that Dad is doing fine and is no longer suffering or feeling pain. I see my wife’s courage building as she sees
Momma touch the Wall and she
approaches and lays her hand on my waiting hand.
All the emotions,
feelings and memories of three decades past flash between our touch
and I tell her that it’s alright. Carry on with your life and don’t worry about me…
I can see as I look into her eyes that she hears and understands me and a big burden has been lifted from her.
I watch as they lay flowers and other memories of my past. My lucky
charm that was taken from me and sent to her by my CO, a tattered and worn teddy bear that I can barely
remember having as I grew up as a
child and several medals that I had earned and were presented to my
wife. One of them is the Combat Infantry Badge that I am very proud
of and I notice that my son is also wearing this medal. I had earned mine in the jungles of Vietnam and he had
probably earned his in the
deserts of Iraq.
I can tell that they are preparing to leave and I try to take a mental picture of them together, because I don’t know
when I will see them
again.
I wouldn’t blame them if they were not to return and can only thank them that I was not forgotten. My wife and
Momma near the Wall
for one final touch and so many years of indecision, fear and sorrow are let go. As they turn to leave I feel my tears
that had not flowed
for so many years, form as if dew drops on the other side of the Wall.
They slowly move away with only a glance over their shoulder. My son suddenly stops and slowly returns. He
stands straight and proud
in front of me and snaps a salute. Something makes him move to the Wall and he puts his hand upon the Wall and
touches my tears that had
formed on the face of the Wall and I can tell that he senses my presence there and the pride and the LOVE that I
have for him. He
falls to his knees and the tears flow from his eyes and I try my best
to reassure him that it’s alright and the tears do not make him any less
of a man. As he moves back
wiping the tears from his eyes, he silently mouths,
God Bless you, Dad…
God Bless YOU, Son…
We WILL meet
someday but in the meanwhile, go on your way…
There is no hurry…
There is no hurry at all.
As I see them walk off in the distance,
I yell out to THEM and
EVERYONE there today, as loud as I can,…
THANKS FOR REMEMBERING
and as others on this side of the Wall join in, I notice that the US Flag that so proudly flys in front of us everyday,
is flapping and standing proudly straight out in the wind today…
THANK YOU ALL
FOR
REMEMBERING…
APVNV Pat (Beanie) Camunes
D/4/31 196th Lt Inf Bde
TayNinh 12/66-4/67 TamKy 4/67-12/67
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