THE WALL OF FACES

On that cold and rainy day in January 1970, I was the medic who first came upon "Vince" after he was wounded. He was conscious and asked if he was going to be alright. I reassured him while I cared for him, and he told me he was glad I was there to help him. He was one of a number of soldiers who was wounded by this same booby trapped unexploded artillery shell. Vince and I had shared a foxhole and tent the night before and we talked of our experiences,family,and plans for the future late into the night. I had intented to contact his family and share these last moments,but things moved quickly and I became occupied with other missions and dealing with my own losses. Although I went on to care for many other soldiers,during my tour,I never forgot Vince and this brief time we shared right before his death. I was 18 years old and had only been in country several months at this time. Over the years I had lost the spelling of his last name and painfully could not locate him on the traveling wall several years ago. I am thankful for this opportunity to finally share this memory after so many years. Vince was a kind and gentle friend and a brave soldier.

So many years ago, and so many changes in my life and yet you remain as a cornerstone, my dictionary picture definition of a friend. I still smile at a hundred different recollections of times we shared. You are still my friend, and always will be.