Wall a moving tribute to Vietnam vets
Exhibit on display at North Charleston Coliseum
The Post and Courier
A visit to The Moving Wall exhibit Thursday proved to be a very emotional experience for Vietnam veteran Bill Herrmann of Ladson. The display is in the parking lot at the North Charleston Coliseum.
Bill Herrmann of Ladson has stood before the names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and wept.
He was crying again Thursday afternoon at a smaller version of the memorial outside the North Charleston Coliseum. Same stark black walls, same lost buddies.
"It's been over 30 years," said Herrmann, a veteran who supports troops through a volunteer effort called Operation: Eagle. "Everything comes back. You think you can put it behind you. You can never put it behind you. This is just as powerful as the one in Washington."
The exhibit outside the coliseum is called The Moving Wall, sponsored by the Vietnam Combat Veterans. A similar memorial was at Brittlebank Park in Charleston four years ago. That was The Wall That Heals, which is sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
Local veteran groups started lining up this visit more than a year ago, according to retired Marine Maj. Gen. James E. Livingston of Mount Pleasant, a recipient of the Medal of Honor and chairman of the Vietnam Era Veterans Recognition Committee.
"We didn't choose our war, folks, but we won our war," Livingston said during an opening ceremony for the memorial. "It's very important for American people to understand that.
THE EXHIBIT: The Moving Wall is in Parking Lot B outside the North Charleston Coliseum. The exhibit will be open 24 hours through Monday afternoon. The entrance is off West Montague Avenue near I-526. Parking for the exhibit is free.
MEMORIAL SERVICE: A service honoring veterans starts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the North Charleston Performing Arts Exhibition Hall, beside the coliseum. All veterans will be honored, and Vietnam veterans and their families will get a certificate of appreciation.
"That war was lost primarily by actions in our capital in Washington, D.C., because they failed to support what our needs were. A lesson learned for today, and I'm committed to make sure that will never happen again."
Livingston credited U.S. Rep. Henry Brown with helping bring the exhibit to North Charleston. Brown, a Republican, is running for re-election against Democrat Linda Ketner. Brown also said he started working on this exhibit more than a year ago.
"I'm committed to give the generals on the line the opportunity to win this war on terror, and I'm grateful to those who are willing to serve," Brown said during the ceremony.
A woman named Betty, who didn't give her last name, spent a few minutes gazing down the rows of names, more than 58,000 of them stretching off into the distance. Fighting back tears, she said she wanted to come back later when there weren't so many people around.
"I don't think the people then and the people now are getting the respect they deserve," she said. "We should be treating them better. Not only them but their families."
Reach Dave Munday at dmunday@postandcourier.com or 745-5862.
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Comments
eyfigueroa (anonymous) says...
Just as the veterans could never forget, the American public shouldn't.
Veterans, past, present and future should always be treated with the utmost respect.
I don't speak for myself but more for those who've lost their limbs, sight, and health both mental & physical and more importantly their lives.
When I think of my own time in the military I can honestly say that I saw and did more in 6.5 years what millions have done in a lifetime.
However I could never think of myself as a hero. Especially when I look at that granite wall and see the names etched there for all posterity. It's then I know that these men and women, the ones before, after and unfortunately in the future who will give their lives in the pursuit of freedom are the true heroes.
May we NEVER forget.
October 17, 2008 at 8:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eyfigueroa (anonymous) says...
Thank you. I was feeling a little introspective this morning. I was worried that my post was a bit too much.
October 17, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
SC_Native_ElCid07 (anonymous) says...
amen too that
October 17, 2008 at 10:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
swhfd28 (anonymous) says...
EYF....Excellent reply.
October 17, 2008 at 3:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
summerville_guy (anonymous) says...
I went to this wall today. I have been to the one in Washington DC before, but this, while smaller, was a very well-done replica. There were active members of the military there to assist people looking for names. A Navy sailor helped me look up a family member of mine, and she made a rubbing of his name for me to take home. Very classy. Check this out if you get the chance.
Dave Munday and the P&C, thank you for the article telling me about this opportunity!
October 17, 2008 at 3:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cracker_jack (anonymous) says...
Do the blacks have their own special segregated section of the wall? Or is the wall good enough for them to share with the whites?
October 17, 2008 at 6:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
WestAshleyMomma (anonymous) says...
cracker_jack,
How disrespectful!!! There is no color in war, except RED! The color of your buddy's blood.
October 17, 2008 at 7:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
WestAshleyMomma (anonymous) says...
It's too bad that feeling can't cross over in our everyday lives. No black or white, just people.
October 17, 2008 at 7:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
willbillbedamned (anonymous) says...
cracker_jack, with all due respect, and that's not much, you're a moron. To those who have served and to those who will serve, I salute you. E-5 USAF '69-'73
October 17, 2008 at 8:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
GreenvilleGirl (anonymous) says...
Ditto on the moron comment....haven't heard that word in a while. Good job.
I've been fortunate enough to see the Wall in DC several times, as well as the relatively new WWII tribute (thank you, Tom Hanks).
If you are an American, and you cannot appreciate these tributes or conjure any emotion at their mere presence, then maybe you need to find another country to live in.
I'm sure we can round up some people to help you pack for the move to Canada or Mexico. Renounce your U.S. Citizenship, and we'll gladly send you on your way.
I'm tired of people complaining about our country; sure, we have problems -- big problems, and it will take time to remedy them. But this is still the best place in the world to live.
There are too many people who expect the government to give them handouts......I'm tired of babysitting lazy people at the expense of my children, and their future children, and so forth, and so on.....
October 17, 2008 at 11:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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