Two of my high school classmates

[Ptah]

[littlemissmartypants]

1. ❤️

[Attilatheblond]

2. Too many on that wall

Should never have been a reason for that wall.

[AllaN01Bear]

3. ""

[LuckyCharms]

4. I'm sorry, Ptah.

[Ptah]

10. Thank you, LuckyCharms.

[MLAA]

5. May their spirits live in peace.

[Niagara]

6. I'm sorry, Ptah

[Ptah]

12. Thank you, Niagara

[calimary]

7. Cold comfort.

I’m sure those named were listed with total, honest reverence, the greatest respect, and sadness, even heartache.

But still…




It’s hard to pick which pain is biggest:
The moms, who ALL remember those hours in that maternity ward;
The widows - I can’t even begin to imagine the intensity of their heartbreak;
The children of those lost, who will never know that departed parent;
The dads who’d been so proud;
Anybody who had a memory of one of those guys, from school or the neighborhood or a first job…

I guess this is what is meant by “a world of hurt”.

[pat_k]

8. I will never forget my first visit to the wall.

It was about a ten years after it was dedicated, spring of 1992 I think. If that's right, then I was 31.

The people killed in that war that I knew about were generally "once removed" -- friends of friends who were older than me, so I had no great personal loss to mourn there.

I'm not sure what it was that finally undid me. The seemingly endless list of names? The mementos? Photos, cigars, dog tags left at the base of the wall?

It was all so much. But I think what started my tears was a little pooh bear, clearly well-used by a child who was later lost. I had to walk away because my crying was becoming almost hysterical, and what right did I have to such reaction? None of my nearest and dearest were on that wall.

I cried uncontrollably for so, so long. I will never quite understand why I lost it so, but that wall is so, so powerful a reminder of precious lives lost.

[70sEraVet]

9. A shame these guys died so young and missed so much life

They should draft old politicians first.

[Permanut]

11. Tough memories, Ptah.

Two of my high school classmates are also on the wall.