HONORED ON PANEL 15W, LINE 117 OF THE WALL
ROBERT EDWARD CARMICHAEL
WALL NAME
ROBERT E CARMICHAEL
PANEL / LINE
15W/117
DATE OF BIRTH
CASUALTY PROVINCE
DATE OF CASUALTY
HOME OF RECORD
COUNTY OF RECORD
STATE
BRANCH OF SERVICE
RANK
REMEMBRANCES
LEFT FOR ROBERT EDWARD CARMICHAEL
POSTED ON 11.15.2005
POSTED BY: Bill Nelson
Never Forgotten
FOREVER REMEMBERED
"If you are able, save for them a place inside of you....and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go.....Be not ashamed to say you loved them....
Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own....And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle hero’s you left behind...."
Quote from a letter home by Maj. Michael Davis O'Donnell
KIA 24 March 1970. Distinguished Flying Cross: Shot down and Killed while attempting to rescue 8 fellow soldiers surrounded by attacking enemy forces.
We Nam Brothers pause to give a backward glance, and post this remembrance to you, one of the gentle heros lost to the War in Vietnam:
Slip off that pack. Set it down by the crooked trail. Drop your steel pot alongside. Shed those magazine-ladened bandoliers away from your sweat-soaked shirt. Lay that silent weapon down and step out of the heat. Feel the soothing cool breeze right down to your soul ... and rest forever in the shade of our love, brother.
From your Nam-Band-Of-Brothers
"If you are able, save for them a place inside of you....and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go.....Be not ashamed to say you loved them....
Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own....And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle hero’s you left behind...."
Quote from a letter home by Maj. Michael Davis O'Donnell
KIA 24 March 1970. Distinguished Flying Cross: Shot down and Killed while attempting to rescue 8 fellow soldiers surrounded by attacking enemy forces.
We Nam Brothers pause to give a backward glance, and post this remembrance to you, one of the gentle heros lost to the War in Vietnam:
Slip off that pack. Set it down by the crooked trail. Drop your steel pot alongside. Shed those magazine-ladened bandoliers away from your sweat-soaked shirt. Lay that silent weapon down and step out of the heat. Feel the soothing cool breeze right down to your soul ... and rest forever in the shade of our love, brother.
From your Nam-Band-Of-Brothers
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POSTED ON 11.18.2003
If I should die...remembrances for 1LT Robert Edward CARMICHAEL, USA...Vernon Hill's bravest hero!!!
If I should die, and leave you here awhile, be notlike 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.
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POSTED ON 11.10.2003
If I should die...remembrances for 1LT. Robert Edward CARMICHAEL, USA...Vernon Hill's bravest!!!!!!!
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.
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POSTED ON 1.21.1999
POSTED BY: G. Marquart
A Small Miracle
I am a playwright, teacher, and drama coach at an elementary school in the state of Washington.
In the Spring of 1997 I wrote and directed a play about a little girl who was separated from her father in 1969 while he was serving his country in Vietnam.
This was a special play in many ways. For the first time our cast was made up of actors of different ages. Our youngest was a kindergartner. Our oldest, an 80 year old teacher and World War Two Veteran. For the first time ever in our district, our play was performed on a "real" stage at a "real" auditorium with lights, music, and fancy costumes from the actual time period.
One of the characters in our show was a young man who was killed only months after beginning his tour with the little girl's father. Originally
this character's name was "Michael Edward". I then realized that his father was referred to as "Mr. Carmichael" and "Michael Carmichael" did not have a ring to it. So, after a moment of thought, another first name came to
me. "Robert". I changed his name to "Robert Edward Carmichael."
In a very moving finale of our play, "Robert" is remembered on the Vietnam Memorial Wall.
The play was a big success. The children learned so much from this experience, both about being professional actors and about the turbulent times when most of their parents were only babies. A time when many brave men and women gave their lives serving their country.
That summer the traveling memorial wall came to our town. Just seeing the wall, touching it, reading the names overwhelmed all of us who saw
it. I, myself was only a child in 1969 and I have no family honored on that wall. But I felt such pride as my fingers traced the letters carved there. Then my fingers touched one name and a small miracle occurred. There, on that black wall in front of me, was the name of the character
from our play!
ROBERT EDWARD CARMICHAEL!
The character I had created was real. I requested a fact sheet on Robert. Through my tears I read that like the character in my play, the real Robert had died two months into his tour.
Although my actors and I never met Robert Edward Carmichael, the real Robert Edward Carmichael, he and his bravery will forever be remembered in our hearts. For some reason, he
was meant to be remembered.
Sometimes things happen in life that we call coincidences, but this is much more than that.
This is a miracle.
-Gregg Marquart
Tacoma, Washington
1999
In the Spring of 1997 I wrote and directed a play about a little girl who was separated from her father in 1969 while he was serving his country in Vietnam.
This was a special play in many ways. For the first time our cast was made up of actors of different ages. Our youngest was a kindergartner. Our oldest, an 80 year old teacher and World War Two Veteran. For the first time ever in our district, our play was performed on a "real" stage at a "real" auditorium with lights, music, and fancy costumes from the actual time period.
One of the characters in our show was a young man who was killed only months after beginning his tour with the little girl's father. Originally
this character's name was "Michael Edward". I then realized that his father was referred to as "Mr. Carmichael" and "Michael Carmichael" did not have a ring to it. So, after a moment of thought, another first name came to
me. "Robert". I changed his name to "Robert Edward Carmichael."
In a very moving finale of our play, "Robert" is remembered on the Vietnam Memorial Wall.
The play was a big success. The children learned so much from this experience, both about being professional actors and about the turbulent times when most of their parents were only babies. A time when many brave men and women gave their lives serving their country.
That summer the traveling memorial wall came to our town. Just seeing the wall, touching it, reading the names overwhelmed all of us who saw
it. I, myself was only a child in 1969 and I have no family honored on that wall. But I felt such pride as my fingers traced the letters carved there. Then my fingers touched one name and a small miracle occurred. There, on that black wall in front of me, was the name of the character
from our play!
ROBERT EDWARD CARMICHAEL!
The character I had created was real. I requested a fact sheet on Robert. Through my tears I read that like the character in my play, the real Robert had died two months into his tour.
Although my actors and I never met Robert Edward Carmichael, the real Robert Edward Carmichael, he and his bravery will forever be remembered in our hearts. For some reason, he
was meant to be remembered.
Sometimes things happen in life that we call coincidences, but this is much more than that.
This is a miracle.
-Gregg Marquart
Tacoma, Washington
1999
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