THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your service to our country and for the sacrifice of your precious life.

It is a privilege to be able to honor you for standing up for what was right and for the courage that you demonstrated.

I know that there are many who say that the loss of your life was in vain and that the Vietnam War was a senseless war, but for this American that is not true. What you did for the freedom of others was not in vain but has always been and will always be an example of good and honor today and for generations to come.

You will never be forgotten by me, or by those you loved, or by those you served with.

In honor of your Angel Day I leave this poem for you:

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go.
Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts.
And we are never, ever the same.” ~ Unknown

Goodbye, America's heroes, we have shamefully failed to stand by you, for all the wrong reasons, which had tempted us aside! Now we must pay the price for letting those who survived down, as well knowing some who didn't have to die, have died! We must honor them every day when we see their names upon the Wall! And from every corner of the land, they answered to the call! Every SOLDIER, sailor, airman, and Marine and Coast Guardsman, too...they all gave their lives so we could live beneath the old Red, White, and Blue!...For those who've gone before, we say "WELL DONE! Be thou at peace!" We, the people of America, salute East Holden's own Private Bruce Abdellah, US Army, whose devotion to DUTY...whose devotion to HONOR...and ABOVE ALL!!!!...whose devotion to GOD and our COUNTRY!!!...the land that he loved...the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave...will NEVER...I say again...will NEVER be extinguished from our minds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a teenager I had many good times with Bruce in Holden.We enjoyed being together with a group of boys hanging out at the country squire or at Georges house.When I heard Bruce went to Viet Nam,it was after I had returned from nam,I was proud to know my friend was doing his part for our country just as I had done. We had talked about this years before.Then I heard he had paid the ultimate price for us.This has left a void in my life and I sure do miss my friend.I visit him in holden as often as I can and talk about times gone bye.I'm proud of him and all our boys who served in Viet Nam,you will never be forgotten.I miss you my friend and always will, your friend Wes Rankin

Bruce and I are cousins.He was the best cousin you could ask for.He played the guitar and loved to fix things even though most of the time it wouldn't work after he fixed it.I still miss you and love you Bruce.
Your Cousin
Bonnie Raymond