I spent the day Sunday and again
Monday on the National Mall of Washington D.C., where hundreds of thousands
of Americans came to pay their respects to the many soldiers, sailors, airmen,
Marines, policeman, fire fighters, and statesman who earned our freedom. (They
came in large numbers in spite of cold rainy conditions and a very gray and
gloomy day.) In addition to several hundred thousand people, there were several
thousand (100,000?) motorcycles in a parade of Harley-Davidson 's that lasted
four hours. The bikers were given a chance to make a pass by the various
monuments, and then they joined us on the Mall and very somberly and seriously
paid respect to our fallen heroes.
There was a contingent from Ohio and several groups from Pennsylvania,
and a couple that I met from South Carolina. I was in a white tent, just
up the hill from the exit to (East of) the Vietnam Memorial Wall, and there
was no way to count the number of people who came by. They left thousands
of flags and flowers, photographs, poems and memorials. I listened for about
four hours as people read poems, stories, and sang songs paying tribute to
the dead. If what you saw for Memorial Day was less than patriotic and did
not meet your standards, what we had today on the National Mall in Washington
D.C. certainly made up the difference. I'm sure those soldiers who went
before us, now in heaven looking down, were pleased with the turnout, the
respect rendered, the combination of solemn events and celebration. Today
we celebrated Freedom. Freedom paid for in blood.
There were several times when I was moved to tears. I felt thrilled to
be on the National Mall in the very center of all the ceremonies and tributes. My thoughts kept flying unbidden to Leonard Sugimoto and
Michael Drake, Donny Kilpatrick, William Hunter and those I knew personally
whose names are now etched in that black granite wall. As
I watched across that field near the wall I saw several long lost buddies
reach out to each other’s embrace and hugged with tears of joy on their faces. A couple of times I wished I could find Earl Pasch that
way, or Donny. The Mall was hallowed ground that day
It was both an honor and a joy to listen to a variety of veterans including Cathie Solomonson, a former Army nurse at the 24th Evac, who was one of the principal forces behind the Vietnam memorial to women, a mother, a poet, and a really nice Christian lady. Her poems and heartfelt comments about the soldiers who she treated in Vietnam cannot help but melt your heart. The tragedies she experienced, (one when she was called to the emergency room to treat her own brother), and the many ways she has attempted to bring healing to Vietnam veterans, only served to heighten my appreciation for this valiant and heroic woman.
It was an awesome day by all standards
and proper respect was rendered. !!
I was on the Mall again on Monday for the rest of the events, and the honor
ceremony from 1300 to 1500. Nancy Sinatra showed up as a surprise guest
( Yeah, Right!) and sang a medley of songs popular in the 1960's. I didn't
find it particularly powerful, but she did sing for the troops (again).
There were quite a few Veterans wandering around with their children and grandchildren,
and they applauded when she sang old favorites and she seemed fairly emotionally
moved to be there. She recalled her last tour with the Bob Hope show singing
"These boots are made for walking" back in 1968 (?) and the sun did come
out and shine on the ceremonies. There wasn’t as much applause as there
were tears of nostalgia (?), but it was tastefully done and people seemed
to enjoy the entire event. It was nice. I was able to pay my respects to
the veterans at the Vietnam Memorial Wall. The Color guard was impeccable
and perfect. How they stayed clean with all the rain and mud is beyond me
but they looked great.
It seems trite to say it was a rich experience, but words fail to describe
the emotion and the awe. No words can describe the sensation of watching
all those motorcycles paying tribute to our National heroes. It was loud and
it was wild and it was freedom in motion, but it was respectful in a unique
way many will not be able to understand. Each of those bike riders saluted
our fallen heroes. More than one of them had tears of pride in the eyes as
they saluted and rode by the Memorial Wall. When you see the bikers in their
leathers with American flag bandannas around their heads they look menacing.
Then when you see the same biker hugging a Vietnam buddy with tears in his
eyes, or you hear one reading a poem about the many heroes of Vietnam who
were met with a scoffing American public ... and he has tears of respect on
his face while he is trying to tell you how much he appreciated the fact that
we went to serve when the country called.... It is very powerful stuff.
On Monday I overheard part of a talk by the president of a New Jersey Motorcycle
club [Vietnam Veterans of New Jersey MC?] as he praised president Bush and
the current white house. The guy was dressed in leathers and had a bandanna
around his head, but there was no question of his patriotic spirit and intent.
He mentioned that the Bush White House had contacted several of the big
Motorcycle clubs to ask about their objectives for the Washington Mall and
to find ways the White House could help them achieve those goals.
By 15:30 I was frazzled. I had felt so much emotion so many times I was
somehow drained, I had cried enough for one weekend, so I went home and took
a nap.
My life is richer for having participated in this event. I took such a
big bite out of life this weekend that I couldn’t put my thoughts into words.
I do know where I want to be next year for this event, and hope to live
long enough to experience that full a measure of pride again.
Joe =:)
Since 1868, Americans have celebrated Memorial Day to
honor those who fought and died to preserve our freedom.
We set aside one day each year to pause and reflect on the
debt of gratitude we owe to the brave patriots who stood
in the breach when the defense of liberty demanded the
ultimate sacrifice.
Perhaps President John F. Kennedy captured the spirit of
this holiday best when he said, "A nation reveals itself
not only by the men it produces, but also by the men it
honors, the men it remembers." By honoring the men and
women who have sacrificed their lives to protect our
freedom, we ensure that their heroic spirit will live on
in this new century.
Indeed, this spirit is alive and well in today's Armed
Forces. In the mountains of Bosnia, along the DMZ in
Korea, in the rocky Sinai desert, in the skies over Iraq,
and the blue waters of the Pacific, our soldiers, sailors,
airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen stand watch -- day and
night -- guarding freedom's frontier. Today, as in the
past, they bear the burdens that make America's blessings
possible for all its citizens.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff and I join every American in
honoring those who gave their lives -- and all of their
tomorrows -- so that we might live in peace. We also
salute the dedicated men and women of today's Armed Forces
who actively preserve this noble legacy.
-Gen. Henry H. Shelton, USA Chairman, Joint
Chiefs of Staff Memorial Day Message for 2001