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| 90 miles fast, 200 feet slow. 41 | |||||||
| (My trip to the moving Vietnam Veterans Wall) | |||||||
| Today I got up at 6 AM to start my first trip to the "The wall that heals" that was located in Oxford Conn. As I prepared for the trip many things went through my mind like how would I act, feel or handle what ever happened. I gassed up my motorcycle. Then my wife and I headed for The Wall in Oxford at 7:30 AM. 90 miles and one and a half - hours later we were there. When I first saw the Wall from a distance I started to feel a great sadness come over me. | |||||||
| 		There was a tent over the walkway 200 feet before the Wall. Every time I tried to go through it to get to the Wall I would break down and start to cry. While the volunteers and my wife tried to comfort me, I kept trying to get the nerve to go the last 200 feet with no luck. So they got me a chair to sit down. I tried to pull myself together. I kept saying to myself. " I came 90 miles now I have to go the last 200 feet as Marines never give up even older former Marines". Then after 10 tries and over an hour I got up and walked those 200 feet slowly and steadily. As I arrived at the Wall I said a prayer for all those listed on our Wall knowing some had died in my arms or I did not know if some made it or not. The tears came back to my eyes as they do now as I write this. Please never think of them as just names on a Wall. They were Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Childhood friends and in my case fellow Marines! | |||||||
| 		I looked for four local Vietnam Veterans always thinking There, but for the grace of God I could have been number 5. There were two from Putnam and one each from Killingly and Danielson. When I found each one I touched their names said thanks and a prayer for them. I gave each one a slow salute and turned away. I met other Veterans there and as we hugged each other it got a little easier to handle for me and I hope for them. I left a certificate stating that my flag at home was flying at half-staff to honor all 58,202 from all branches who paid the full price of freedom from the start to the end of our War. I also left a few other items later I attended the closing ceremony. | |||||||
| 		When I was driving home I looked out at this great land and saw how beautiful it is and thought about all those who never take the time to step back and appreciate all this. I think of all those on that Wall and say thanks for protecting this country and tell them not to pay any attention to those who say it was a wrong or useless war as all wars are wrong! May God bless you! I was then and I am still proud to have served with you. | |||||||
| Sept. 13,1998 Chaplain Howard Flexer | |||||||
| Vietnam War Veterans | |||||||
| Flagstaff & Memorial | |||||||
| Danielson, CT.	 | |||||||