Photo By Spc. Robert Havens | Members of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 604 Honor Guard fire a rifle salute...... read more read more
TOPEKA, Kan. - A man in camouflaged pants, jungle boots and a T-shirt with a military logo on the back paces anxiously back in front of a wall. He looks at the names intently. The look on his face is that of pain, as if he is looking for a long-lost friend or relative. Then he stops and sobs. Reaching out, he touches the name he was looking for and bows his head in reverence. After several moments, he resumes his search, looking for another name, another fallen brother on the wall.
The Vietnam Traveling Wall was hosted at the Museum of the Kansas National Guard in Topeka, Aug. 28- 31.
“It’s a 360 feet long, 80 percent scale replica of the wall in Washington,” said retired Brig. Gen. Ed Gerhardt, president of the museum board of directors.
“The wall is a healing process for veterans, and a way for them to tell their story,” said Rob Begley, a retired veteran.
“People have different reasons for coming to see the wall,” said Begley. “Some want to come simply to see the wall. Some come to reminisce. Some want to say their hellos or goodbyes."
“You have family members that have their relatives on the wall,” said Begley. “Their uncles, grandfathers and fathers are on the wall and they come to pay their respects.
“There are 58,299 names on the wall and every year, on Memorial Day, they update the names on the wall. These names are people,” said Begley. “They were just like you and me at one point. That’s why we should never, ever forget our brothers and sisters. A lot of people don’t realize that there are women on the wall, too. There are eight women on that wall; seven of them are Army and one Air Force. It’s very important that we do not forget there are women that gave their lives for us, as well.”
For the returning veterans, some would go on to struggle for decades with the lasting effects from the war.
“When service members went to Vietnam, they went over as individuals. They didn’t go over in a ship in a major command,” said Begley. “You went over by yourself and you came back by yourself. It was very hard to deal with issues that came up. Going to the wall is a chance to talk about the things that you dealt with, to try to look at your situation, what happened, why you were over there, the brothers and sisters that you lost and talk to them.”
“This wall is an opportunity for healing and to give long overdue recognition to Vietnam veterans,” said Gerhardt. “Vietnam veterans weren’t treated as well as they should have been when they came home.”
“Society is not what it used to be years ago,” said Begley. “Things have changed so much and people’s perspective on things has changed. But that perspective is so important for people to understand about how Vietnam veterans feel and the wall is one of our ways to have that lasting recognition and remembrance. At the time, people felt the government was not being honest about what was going on in Southeast Asia and it took many years for that to get turned around.”
Because of this, the Vietnam veterans were treated differently than other veterans of wars.
“It’s taken so long for the American public to recognize the veterans of Vietnam,” said Begley. “I think the turning point was May 1991. There was an Armed Forces Day parade. It was a big parade here in Topeka, and it was a parade for all the armed forces. It was such a great recognition for the Vietnam veterans.”
As a lasting memorial, the wall helps us to focus on the sacrifices that America’s heroes have made.
“Never forget, all gave some and some gave all,” said Begley. “If we don’t have something like this to remember our Vietnam veterans, they will fall to the wayside.”
| Date Taken: | 08.28.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.18.2014 12:13 |
| Story ID: | 142535 |
| Location: | TOPEKA, KS, US |
| Hometown: | TOPEKA, KS, US |
| Hometown: | WASHINGTON, DC, US |
| Web Views: | 80 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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