"the wall" american veterans traveling tribute

I performed guard duty for one of the moving walls while it was in Utah. It had an impact that left a painful scar on my soul. This Vietnam widower had come with her grown children to see her husbands name on the wall. He was not in any of the books (not computerized at that time) or on that wall. Him not being on that wall that day ripped open a wound in that poor woman that bled like it was the day she was told he was gone. I became the recipient of her pain and anger and could do nothing for her at that moment she so desperately wanted to see his name and have closure. Of course none of it was my fault, I just happened to be the person in uniform, but I figured the least I could do for this woman was bare the brunt of her pain. I will never forget that day that I couldn't give her an answer and it feels like a scar that I carry, but I would gladly do it for her again and would give anything to be able to redo that day and show her her husbands name.

It's amazing what a photograph can do. Seeing your photo of the wall, combined with my personal scar, brings my insides back to that time and place all over again.

It's something to behold. I remember when the AVTT Memorial Wall was in our area a few years ago. One of my favorite shots came from there. Seems like forever ago:

We took a family trip to Baltimore and Washington last year. One of my favorite images was at the Wall.