Vietnam Wall replica draws 5000 in York on the Fourth
Wearing a red, white and blue T-shirt and with a camera around his neck Monday afternoon, Barry Stump reflected on his time serving in Vietnam War with the U.S. Air Force.The 74-year-old Stump, of Windsor Township, spent two decades in the Air Force and summed up his Vietnam experience in one word: Frustrating, he said.
Stump and his wife, Rita, were among more than 5,000 attendees Monday to visit The Wall that Heals, a half-scale replica of Washington, D.C.'s, Vietnam Veterans Memorial hosted at the York Expo Center until Wednesday, said site manager Brenda Dobek.
As he browsed through thousands of names on the wall, Stump identified the name of a fallen pilot, Albert Wilson, who died in 1966 while flying cargo in the Vietnam War. Stump spent a year with Wilson at pilot training school, where the pair formed a friendship, he said.
Stump dropped to one knee as he zoomed his camera lens onto Wilson's name for a picture.
"Fortunately, no one else I knew died in Vietnam," Stump said.
The Wall that Heals was temporarily installed near the York County Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and visitors were permitted to bring mementos to place along the wall or make rubbings of names on the wall. The wall is free for visitors and open 24 hours a day through Wednesday.
The temporary monument set up in York over the Fourth of July weekend was great for residents who aren't able to get out to Washington, D.C., to visit the real thing, said Stump.
York is one of 20 locations the Wall that Heals will visit this year; its trip to York was sponsored by BAE Systems.
Veterans of all conflicts showed up to the exhibit Monday afternoon, some grieving the loss of their fallen servicemen, some sharing uplifting memories from their time in serving.Other attendees visited because they were curious to check out the monument and knew of people who died in Vietnam.
Donnie and Nancy Brown of Hanover have never been to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington but were eager to visit its replica Monday.
"People we knew died in Vietnam. We heard (the Wall) would be in York and thought it would be nice to come visit," said Donnie Brown, 70.
- Reach Lauren Whetzel at 505-5432 or lwhetzel@yorkdispatch.com.
Vietnam Wall Names - News
As he browsed through thousands of names on the wall, Stump identified the name of a fallen pilot, Albert Wilson, who died in 1966 while flying cargo in the Vietnam War. Stump spent a year with Wilson at pilot training school, where the pair formed a
Macek traced Padilla's name off the wall for his scrapbook along with the names of Raymond Kaminski and Daniel James, causalities from Loup City he knew. He also had a few words for his longtime buddy. "I told him to rest in peace, and I told him to
He concluded his address by saying those listed on the Vietnam wall “will always be part of us.” US Army Vietnam veteran Cliff Tholen read a poem, simply titled Names, saying, “They won't be forgotten, enshrined are they all, those 58000 names on the
Its black, reflective surface is inscribed with the names of more than 58000 servicemen and women who died or are missing in Vietnam. Paper and pencils will be provided so visitors can make rubbings of names etched on the wall.
In addition to honoring the Vietnam War soldiers, the traveling memorial includes the names of the 2984 people who died during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, DC. A "Gold Dog Tag" display also lists fallen veterans
Vietnam wall brings healing to veterans - Orange County Register
It's because of that name that Whelpley's name isn't on the wall.
Ralph McDonald, a member of the 35th Engineer's battalion and a friend, was killed leading a convoy that was originally assigned to Whelpley, who was sent away immediately before.
"I came to pay my respects," said Whelpley, 67 of Alhambra.
Whelpley was one of dozens of veterans who flocked to Yorba Park Thursday morning to pay their respects at the replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial installed on Wednesday. The wall, which bears nearly 59,000 names of soldiers who were lost or killed in Vietnam, will be on 24-hour display until Sunday.
Many veterans brought pieces of paper bearing scrawled names, seeking a chance to pay homage to friendships that were never given the chance to bloom. Soldiers were often sent to Vietnam on year-long rotations and camaraderie was immediate, but fleeting.
"I lost a lot of good friends out there," said Ruben Gallegos, who escorted convoys in the jungles of South Vietnam.
He described how in the stress of combat, short friendships would become etched permanently in his memories. Forty-two years later, he can recall conversations with men he knew by little more than a first name and a hometown. Today, he was looking for Ray from New Mexico, among others.
"You don't forget," said Gallegos, who described the experience of seeing the wall as a release. "It's like something was sitting on your chest, and it relieves the pressure."
Organizers are providing free name rubbings for veterans. Keepsakes and memories are also being collected to install in a museum to be erected next to the memorial in Washington, D.C.
Other veterans sought closure. Rodney Ward lost three friends and a cousin to the war.
"We all grew up together in Guttenberg, Iowa," said Ward, a tear – unnoticed or ignored – dotting his glasses. "Everyone knew each other."
Chuck Rosen, a Navy Vietnam veteran, left a bottle of champagne by the wall for his high school buddy, Joseph Jacobs, who died when his Jeep hit a mine in Vietnam. Rosen didn't find out until he took his daughter to Stanford University for a college visit and spotted Jacobs' name on a memorial wall on campus.
Rosen said these events are important because they provide Vietnam veterans with a sense of acceptance and community that was denied them after the war.
"This rallies us together," said Rosen. "We're the forgotten veterans.
Always remembered | The names of 10 young Mercer Island men are...: A Vietnam Memorial Wall was in Bellevue at...
Mercer Island Reporter: Names of 10 young local men are etched on the moving Vietnam Memorial Wall 
Names of 10 Mercer Island men are on moving Vietnam Memorial Wall: (via )
Names of 10 Mercer Island men are on moving Vietnam Memorial Wall: 
RT : Over 58,000 killed in Vietnam, names on a wall, but over 400,000 killed EACH YEAR by . Where is the list?Vietnam Wall Names - Bookshelf
The Mourner's Song, War and Remembrance from the Iliad to Vietnam
others who sponsored the experience had wanted, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial came to them. ... Tracing names, the Vietnam Wall Experience ...The Vietnam War in American memory, veterans, memorials, and the politics of healing
On the names added since the unveiling of the wall, see Scruggs and ... 415; David Stout, "Six New Names in a Wall of Granite Recall Cost of Vietnam," ...Congressional Record, V. 147, Pt. 18, December 11, 2001 to December 12, 2001
Or the 74 largely forgotten crew members who died aboard the destroyer at the height of the Vietnam War. And whose names are not listed on the Vietnam Wall. ...Revisiting Vietnam, memoirs, memorials, museums
... Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's Virtual Wall with these words: For 15 years , people have come to the Vietnam Wall to run their hands across the names ...Aztlán and Viet Nam, Chicano and Chicana experiences of the war
ALBERTO Rfos The Vietnam Wall I Have seen it And I like it: The magic, ... One name. And then more Names, long lines, lines of names until They are the ...Day-by-day Report Directory
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall Page
Completely searchable Vietnam Memorial Wall. Other Veterans and government links.
Wall Information
Names Added to Memorial: Since 1997 88 names of veterans who have died due to their wounds received during the Vietnam war have been added to the Wall. ...
VietnamWall.org
Features a virtual rubbing of the Vietnam Wall Memorial, virtual postcards for vets, and veteran's news.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial National Memorial (U.S. National ...
Six names have been added to the Vietnam Veteran Memorial Wall. ... The National Park Service and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund partnership has begun a two-month project to ...
TNOTW
And there's 50,000 names carved in the wall. They come from all ... 50,000 names carved in the wall. There's 50,000 names carved in the wall. The bear is ...