European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 30, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Ma58,175names cry out in silence a file 1986 unidentified Man grieving at the Black Granite Wail of the Vietnam veterans memorial in , april 30, 1990by Bob Lott Cox news service toward the Middle the base of the Vietnam veterans memorial in Washington dips deeper into the Earth As its Black Granite wings containing 58,175 names of the dead come together in a shallow there the Wall is tallest. Names along its top Are out of reach for Many who visit there at mid morning an elderly Man and woman found the name they sought it was two thirds of the Way to the top almost but not Guite out of reach the couple apparently had searched for some time wandering among the hundreds of silent visitors going to and fro before the shining Monument when they found the name the Man touched it first he stood on his tiptoes and stretched out his right Arm he placed his fingertips Over the name then he pressed his Palm Down on it then the woman stood on her tiptoes to touch it one of them produced a rectangular piece of paper made especially for tracing names they discovered they had forgotten to tiring a Pencil the Man walked East on the memorial s sidewalk searching to borrow a Pencil while the woman kept an Eye on the name s location. Two men one Black and the other White a Middle aged men probably buddies from the Vietnam War a stood looking at a name where the Wall is Only head High still figures among a flowing Stream of solemn people. One Lent a Pencil to the elderly Man. The Man walked to where the woman waited she stretched out again and with both hands pressed the piece of paper Over the name. He stood on his tiptoes gripped the borrowed Pencil by its Eraser end and traced the name. He returned the Pencil then rejoined the woman she held the piece of paper. He placed a hand on her shoulder. Silently they gazed at the paper. She folded it and put it in her purse. The Man scanned faces in the crowd perhaps to discover whether anyone had observed their private and personal moment. They left had they waited these eight years since the memorial s dedication to come and Trace the name7 if so Why did they consider their sacrifice justified7 in a ritzy hotel a few blocks away the next Day a panel of famous people hosted by the american society of newspaper editors debated an old subject the turmoil of the 1960s including Vietnam. Among panellists were activist Dick Gregory and Gen William c. Westmoreland. Westmoreland who led . Troops there insisted that America did t lose Vietnam and that our part was justified. The 58,175 names cry out in silence what do they say that their countrymen betrayed their sacrifice or that their leaders sacrificed them without justification7 whatever one s thoughts on the War itself it s difficult to visit the Wall and leave unmoved figuratively speaking it already casts As Large a Shadow As the nearby Lincoln memorial thousands walk its length each Day. Some probably come out of the curiosity that motivates tourism. Yet it s evident from observing the reverence on hundreds of faces that homage to the fallen is on most people s minds eighty feet from one end of the memorial a Hal dozen or More Middle aged men clustered around a Bronze statue of three soldiers in Vietnam they kidded one another aloud. Two by two they posed for snapshots before the statue other people stood Back out of respect for them. One of the men called out Quot where s my Doc i want a picture with my a younger Man got up from a nearby Bench. He evidently was a doctor from a a Hospital touring with patients come to confront their past. He posed with the Man who had called for him Many Vietnam veterans resent the recent attention focused on veterans and the implication of shattered lives other survivors like these men before the statue do Lead shattered lives however and we owe them dearly. We also owe the Man and woman who came to Trace a name. Bob Lott is editor of the Waco Texas Tribune Herald the stars and stripes a a a Page 13
