Veteran’s Day Tribute – Vietnam Wall
Veteran’s Day Tribute
On this hallowed day I would like to share with you some sobering facts about a period in history when all our troops could see was jungle, fire and death. The Vietnam era. A time when your enemy could be less than two feet away from you and you would never see them until it was too late.
Someday there will be a wall for the wars and conflicts in the middle east. However, regardless of the name you put on the war, the statistics will always remain the same: the people joining up will always be our proud and brave young children; fearless, not yet able to visualize the true horror of war, bloodshed and the loss of those around them. These proud young men and women, almost overnight, become seasoned warfighters, ready to do what ever is needed to protect our freedom.
If you are alive today and still speaking English, thank the men and women of the United States armed forces serving now, in the past and in the future!
Veteran’s Day Tribute to the Vietnam Wall
Some interesting and sobering items about the Vietnam Wall.
"Carved on these walls is the story of America, of a continuing quest to preserve both democracy and decency, and to protect a national treasure that we call the American dream."
Something to think about: Most of the surviving parents of the dead are now deceased themselves.
There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall, including those added in 2010.
The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to believe it is 36 years since the last casualties.
The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth, Mass., listed by the U.S. Department of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965.
There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall.
39,996 on the Wall were just 22 or younger.
The largest age group, 8,283 were just 19 years old 33,103 were 18 years old.
12 soldiers on the Wall were 17 years old.
5 soldiers on the Wall were 16 years old.
One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old.
997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam.
1,448 soldiers were killed on their last scheduled day in Vietnam.
Veteran’s Day Tribute Continues…
31 sets of brothers are on the Wall.
Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons.
54 soldiers on the Wall attended Thomas Edison High School in
Philadelphia…. Wonder why so many from one school?
8 Women are on the Wall — nursing the wounded.
244 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153
Of them are on the Wall.
Beallsville, Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons.
West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation.
There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall.
The Marines of Morenci – They led some of the scrappiest high school football and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered. They enjoyed roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the Apache National Forest. And in the patriotic camaraderie typical of Morenci’s mining families, the nine graduates of Morenci
High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps.Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home.
The Buddies of Midvale – LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom Gonzales were all
Boyhood friends and lived on three consecutive streets in Midvale, Utah on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues. They lived only a few yards apart. They played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field. And theyall went to Vietnam.
In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed.
LeRoy was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, the fourth anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day.
Tom was shot dead assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 ~ 245 deaths.
The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 ~ 2,415 casualties were incurred.
For many Americans who read this they will only see the numbers that the Vietnam War created.
To those of us who survived the war, and to the families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the pain that these numbers created. We are, until we too pass away, haunted with these numbers, because they were our friends, fathers, husbands, wife’s, sons and daughters.
There are no noble wars, just noble warriors… "That we never forget"!
Thank you with all that I am or that I will ever be! Thank you with a grateful heart from one who has served and understands. Thank you!
God Bless Our Troops!!!
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