http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/thewall/ en-us Sat, 24 May 2008 01:19:45 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2020535/posts Now you can add your story and remembrance to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. In collaboration with the archival search company Footnote, The Times has made each of the 58,000-plus names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial searchable, a place where you can add personal stories. A digital image of the wall — actually thousands of photos fused together — locates each veteran’s name where it appears on the memorial. From there, any visitor to The Times site can leave their stories and remembrances or upload photos of veterans. Start by clicking on the "Search the Wall" box, where you can select... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2020535/posts#comment Sat, 24 May 2008 01:19:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2020198/posts SITREP: What an incredible sight! Members of Run For The Wall XX (Southen Route) Several hundred motorcycles and their military veteran riders and passengers staged at the Salem, VA American Legion parking lot this morning ready to depart for Washington, D.C. where they will gather at the Vietnam War Memorial for the annual remembrance of POW's and MIA's. They had just finished a breakfast sponsored by local veterans groups including the American Legion Post and a military family support group. They sat waiting to depart at 0730 for the last leg of their 10 day cross country (southern route) trip... Run for the Wall http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2020198/posts#comment Fri, 23 May 2008 13:50:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2012736/posts WASHINGTON, May 7, 2008 – The names of four U.S. servicemembers were etched into the glossy black walls of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial this week alongside more than 58,000 of their fallen comrades. Finishing the addition today was the name of Raymond C. Mason, a Marine lance corporal who died a year ago as a result of ailing health stemming from a bullet wound that paralyzed him in February 1968 during the Tet Offensive. In a ceremony at the wall here, Mason’s widow, Priscilla Mason, watched as an engraver inched a sandblaster over the Marine’s stenciled name with surgeonlike precision.... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2012736/posts#comment Wed, 7 May 2008 23:56:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1924694/posts WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 — Throngs of veterans gathered on Sunday under a clear sky on the Mall to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a stark symbol of a war that bitterly divided the nation. In a poignant reminder of that tumultuous time, the veterans wept, prayed or reminisced at the stone memorial inscribed with the names of 58,256 Americans killed or missing in the Vietnam War. New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1924694/posts#comment Mon, 12 Nov 2007 21:06:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1924358/posts Newbie FReepers PatrioticMarineMom (Yvonne Bates) and RockerMom2MyHero started a Gathering of Eagles/FReeRepublic Support Our Troops Rally less than a month ago in Westminster, MD and already they are celebrities. Their Rally is opposite Carroll County Progressives and Women in Black. This past Saturday they met a reporter from the Carroll County Times in D.C. for the 25th Anniversary of the dedication of the Wall and for the Veterans' Day Observance. The paper's article is HERE. The comments to the article are especialy interresting. The first Westminster FReep is HERE. Week 2 is HERE. Carroll County times (Maryland) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1924358/posts#comment Mon, 12 Nov 2007 01:43:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1923975/posts Thousands of veterans from around the country participated in today's march to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam Memorial. High school bands played patriotic songs as men and women, many wearing battle fatigues, jackets and pins representing their former units marched. Some walked with canes, others rolled in wheelchairs, some because of age, others due to old battle wounds. The scene around the memorial, where everyone converged after the march along Constitution Avenue adjacent to the Mall, was festive and spiritual. A man with a grizzled mustache cried uncontrollably. Others hugged old friends as if at a family reunion.... The Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1923975/posts#comment Sun, 11 Nov 2007 01:04:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1923913/posts WASHINGTON - They are lined up like footnotes to the names etched on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial's polished black granite, leaning against its base, some a collective tribute to the fallen, others bearing a message for just one of the dead. An American Legion uniform cap from Kansas, a police patch from a town in Georgia, a note to "GRAMDADAD" that appears to have been written by the unpracticed hand of a young child. A homemade plaque with plastic red poppies pasted to it, dedicated to a "Band of Brothers." Poems from middle school students. Full box of tissue alert. Yahoo News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1923913/posts#comment Sat, 10 Nov 2007 20:44:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1923503/posts WASHINGTON — John Lazarczyk was waiting to hear a name. He knew he might have to stand in the chilly November darkness for a couple of hours, but that wasn't important. He was there to honor a man he had never even met. As volunteers lined up in front of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and took turns reading the names of some of the 58,256 Vietnam War dead Thursday night, Lazarczyk spoke about James Daniel Williamson, an Army Spec. 4 who was a gunner on a UH1D helicopter that was shot down over Laos on January 5, 1968. Rescue and... STARS & STRIPES http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1923503/posts#comment Fri, 9 Nov 2007 20:01:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1922682/posts He was given his father's name at birth. Harry Griffith Cramer III, his birth certificate reads, the son of Harry Griffith Cramer Jr. The name has stayed with him in a way his father couldn't. It has shaped and molded his life, guiding him through difficult times and giving him strength in moments of weakness. It is one of the few things he has left of his father, so he cherishes every letter of it.Yesterday, he shared that name with hundreds of people gathered on the Mall, reading it aloud, deliberately and poignantly. And his was just the beginning. Like... Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1922682/posts#comment Thu, 8 Nov 2007 11:00:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-vetscor/1922651/posts To be shown this Sunday, November 11, Veterans Day, a documentary of many Veterans homecomings. It will also be available in streaming video on the Smithsonian Channel, free. Smithsonian Channel http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-vetscor/1922651/posts#comment Thu, 8 Nov 2007 07:07:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1920627/posts LIST of the WEEK'S EVENTS including Reading of the Names. Here is a quick break down of Saturday's events. There is going to be a Opening Ceremony from 10 AM till 11 AM on the Mall at 3rd ST. between Jefferson and Davis Drives. Closes Metro is the Blue/Orange Line stop at Federal Center, SW. But if you want to enjoy a nice morning stroll along the Mall, any of the other stops are good. There is a Parade from 11 AM til 4 PM. It appears to start where the opening Ceremony is and go to the Washington Monument... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1920627/posts#comment Sun, 4 Nov 2007 00:09:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1911757/posts AMVETS National Commander John P. "J.P." Brown III announced today that AMVETS is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of those responsible for the Sept. 7, 2007 vandalism of the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial. According to the National Park Service, an unidentified substance stained 14 of the memorial's 140 panels. For more information, visit the AMVETS website. Military.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1911757/posts#comment Tue, 16 Oct 2007 04:12:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1901556/posts Cheers and tears greeted about 1,000 motorcyclists escorting a large star-spangled trailer-truck bringing a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to the Twin Cities Sunday afternoon. Scores of spectators lined Longley Bridge and the area around Veterans Memorial Park. They waved flags and shouted congratulations as the bikers rolled past in a procession estimated to be about three miles long. It took more than half an hour for them all to cross the bridge between Auburn and Lewiston. Riders of ages spanning two or three generations took part. Several said they were amazed at the show of support on their... Sun Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1901556/posts#comment Mon, 24 Sep 2007 21:43:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1900629/posts Bikers escorting a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial this weekend don't think they should have to pay a toll. But the Maine Turnpike Authority says it is legally bound to collect the money, which could total $5,000 to $10,000, depending on the number of riders who participate in the event. Between 1,500 and 2,000 motorcyclists are expected to accompany the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall on Sunday as it travels up the Maine Turnpike from York to Lewiston. The 240-foot-long wall will go on display Friday at Veterans Park and will remain up through Sunday. Steve Page, commander of American... Portland Press Herald http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1900629/posts#comment Sat, 22 Sep 2007 15:33:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1899193/posts Dear Vietnam veterans, friends & associates, Saturday, November 10, 2007, marks the 25th Anniversary of The Wall, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the Mall in Washington, DC. To commemorate this event, perhaps the only event of its kind with widespread significance to an entire generation of veterans and their families, Vietnam Veterans of America (“VVA”) is hosting a parade befitting the generation of veterans who served. This parade will be the “welcome home” that many of the 9 million plus men and women who served on active duty during this era, never had. We expect a minimum of 50,000 plus... VVA via Email http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1899193/posts#comment Wed, 19 Sep 2007 22:05:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1898768/posts Director of National Intelligence Says U.S. Didn't Connect Available Information ABC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1898768/posts#comment Wed, 19 Sep 2007 05:14:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1898082/posts Park Police Call Wall Substance Vandalism For Immediate Release September 17, 2007 Contacts: Lisa Gough, VVMF (202) 393-0090, ext.109 Bill Line, National Park Service (202) 619-7177 U.S. PARK POLICE RULES THAT SUBSTANCE LEFT AT THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL IS VANDALISM National Park Service Continues Cleanup Efforts Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Park Police ruled today that the oily substance spread on sections of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and on the paving stones was an act of vandalism. Park Police spokesman Sgt. Robert Lachance stressed that the investigation is ongoing and would not offer further comment. The National Park Service continues... Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1898082/posts#comment Mon, 17 Sep 2007 23:45:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1897964/posts The unidentified substance that was found splashed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial earlier this month was the result of vandalism, the U.S. Park Police said today. Sgt. Robert Lachance, a spokesman for the Park Police, said the investigation into the incident is continuing, but the detective on the case had ruled it an act of vandalism. Lachance said he could provide no more details because the probe is still underway. The oily substance was first reported to police the evening of Sept. 7, National Park Service officials have said. Dark blotches were found along a stone curb at the base... Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1897964/posts#comment Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:45:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1897967/posts Here’s our video report on the wall’s defacement. Due to YouTube’s (lack of) clarity, it’s hard to see. But about two-thirds of the memorial was defaced along the bottom with some unknown chemical agent that soaked into the granite surface enough to discolor it. Several panels were evidently splashed with the same substance. The Park Police originally stated that the discoloration was the result of a “cleaning accident,” but now they’re saying that it was vandalism, and they’re investigating: The unidentified substance that was found splashed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial earlier this month was the result of vandalism, the... HotAir.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1897967/posts#comment Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:56:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1897478/posts This was first reported at FreeRepublic on Sunday, September 9 at 6:55 PM Pacific Time (3:55 PM Eastern), with follow-up posts here, here, and here.The incident took place on or some time prior to Friday, September 7. The original Freeper report, with plentiful pictures, states that: ..... It looks like the person who did this walked along The Wall with some type of container, perhaps hidden at their side so that they could squirt the oily substance without being caught in the act...... It is unknown who did this to The Wall, and apparently the US Park Police did... NewsBusters.org http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1897478/posts#comment Sun, 16 Sep 2007 20:06:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1896622/posts Last Friday evening an oily substance that has proved extremely difficult to remove was splattered along an approximately 60 foot section of the wall, defacing panels bearing the names of the deceased as well as ornamental stones along the base. Mainstream media coverage has been sparse. Veterans immediately attributed the defacement to anti-war groups that have threatened the memorial in past months, have defaced monuments and memorials nationwide, and are gathering in Washington this weekend to protest the War on Terror. The outrage in the veteran community is palpable. In apparent fear of vets’ reaction, some who sympathize with the... Human Events http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1896622/posts#comment Fri, 14 Sep 2007 18:46:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1896205/posts Still images from video of the damage to The Vietnam Memorial Wall, filmed on Monday morning, September 10, 2007. This was two days after the National Park Service Spokesman told reporters that they discovered the damage and had begun an immediate cleanup. The lone security camera is located in a corner of the grass, closer to the Brothers statue than The Wall... The Brothers statue appeared OK... But there were numerous oily drips along the walkway around the statue. Sticker bushes around the Brothers statue proved a good security device, apparently... And an oily trail along the cobblestone between the... video stills http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1896205/posts#comment Fri, 14 Sep 2007 01:41:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1895135/posts tgslTakoma was up late putting Vietnam Memorial Wall (DC) Defaced Sept 7-8, 2007: PART 2 on youtube and asked that this be posted. Part 3 will show the vandalism to the Nurses Statue and the Brothers Statue. tgslTakoma also noticed on East Wall Panel 15E that it had multiple deep, long, vertical scratches/gouges. That will also be in Part 3 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1895135/posts#comment Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:02:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1895212/posts Last Friday a “light, oily substance” was sprayed on 50 to 60 feet of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall panels and paving stones in an act of apparent vandalism. All this week, Washington was consumed with the Iraq reports by Gen. David Petraeus and Amb. Ryan Crocker. This weekend, ANSWER and a number of other anti-war groups are planning big demonstrations in Washington. Some veterans groups are planning to parallel the demostrations with lines of volunteers blocking access to the Vietnam Wall and other memorials they believe may be targeted for defacment. The assumption that Friday’s discovery was an act... Human Events http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1895212/posts#comment Wed, 12 Sep 2007 13:04:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1894854/posts (CNSNews.com) - As cleanup efforts continue in the removal of an oily substance from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., authorities are investigating how the substance got on the wall, but warned it is "premature" to label it vandalism. The wall was defaced sometime over the weekend when an oily substance was sprayed along the base of the granite monument. The black material appeared to stain the dark grey wall and tainted some of the more than 58,000 names engraved on it. National Park Service preservation and maintenance personnel have been working since Saturday to remove the substance, and... Cybercast News Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1894854/posts#comment Tue, 11 Sep 2007 20:28:03 GMT