THE WALL OF FACES

FIRST TIME I CAME TO THE WALL WAS LATE NIGHT, DAY BEFORE VETERAN'S DAY, MY BROTHER JIM WAS W/ ME, HE WAS A CHOPPER PILOT (BRAVE, COOL & GOOD), EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ARMY, LIKE YOU. I LOOKED UP YOUR NAME, SGT. DEAL'S & CAPT. GOOD'S AND STARTED DOWN THE WALK TO YOUR PANEL. DON, I WAS BACK "IN COUNTRY" (that's the reference we use now for being in Viet Nam, although I really liked your discriptive term better). I COULD SMELL THE CORDITE, SMELL & HEAR THE RUBBING & CREAKING OF OUR WEB GEAR, SMELL THE SWEAT & I FELT THE HAIR ON MY NECK STAND UP. WE WERE ALL THERE, ON LINE, JIM & ME, BUT YOU, WILL & THE CAPT. WERE THERE TOO. I KNEW THEN I COULD FACE "THE WALL" & SEE YOUR NAMES. I' VE BEEN TO SEE YOU MANY TIMES SINCE, BRINGING MY WIFE & DAUGHTERS ONCE, BUT YOU NEVER WERE THERE WITH ME SINCE THAT FIRST NIGHT. I GUESS YOU GUYS KNEW "THE KID" COULD TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF FROM HERE ON. I STILL MISS YOU ALL! SAVE A PLACE FOR ME.

If I should die, and leave you here awhile, be not like others, sore undone, who keep long vigils by the silent dust, and weep...for MY sake, turn again to life, and smile...Nerving thy heart, and trembling hand to do something to comfort other hearts than thine...Complete these dear, unfinished tasks of mine...and I, perchance, may therein comfort you.

I was only 5 when he left for Vietnam. He never returned. I still have the stuffed dog he gave me the year before he died. I still miss him.