Thank you never gets old

Last Saturday my wife and I headed to Fayetteville to view the Traveling Wall. The wall is a replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. It is one of several replicas that travel throughout the country so others can have the opportunity to pay their respects to those who gave all for our country.

It was hard to find information on the wall, but when I finally found out who to contact they were very helpful. The Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks & Recreation department sponsored the display. When I called them to make sure of everything they were very helpful. In fact a man named Tony gave me his cell phone number in case we had trouble finding the park where the event was held.

When we arrived at our motel in Fayetteville we asked for directions to the park from the clerk. She gave us excellent directions and said to call if we needed help finding the park. In short we felt like we were welcomed in a place we had never been.

Our experience throughout the day was comparable to what we had received to that point. One thing that struck us as unusual was the lack of people in Fayetteville. When we pulled off the interstate it looked like the town was deserted. It was then I realized that due to the need for troops in the War on Freedom Fayetteville is suffering an economic loss that has not been seen for years.

We checked into our room and then headed directly to Festival Park, one of the newest parks in the area.

When we arrived at the exhibit we found a scene that was respectful of the occasion. The area was devoid of any clutter and focused on the displays for the fallen heroes of all wars. There were volunteers there to assist anyone in finding the names of who they were looking for on the wall. There were volunteers there to assist you in actually finding the name on the wall, if needed.

When we made our way up a slight hill to The Wall I wanted to stop and rest to catch my breath and then I would think about the sacrifice of the men and women I was there to honor and I said the least I can do is to make this short walk.

The feeling I had when I got to the wall was reminiscent of the feeling I experienced at other places of remembrance for those who have given all to make my freedom possible.

I have had the privilege of visiting several places of remembrance including the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) in Hawaii, Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam Memorial Wall on the Mall in Washington, D.C., and Gettysburg National Cemetery.

In each case there was a feeling of quiet calmness that seemed to permeate the area. It was a feeling that even if you wanted to, you could not speak loud or disrespect the scene. You had a feeling that all you have now and have experienced in all your life has been paid for by those who you came to pay respects to.

I don’t know what a ghost feels like but when I sat there thanking a boyhood friend for his sacrifice I felt like he was right there with me. When I moved down the wall and thanked a neighbor for the price he paid, I felt like we were back in the old neighborhood looking over the fence and talking.

When my wife stood back and looked over all the names on the wall and the cold dog tags representing those who have given their lives in Iraq and the other conflicts and disasters since Vietnam she was overwhelmed by emotions she had not expected.

It was almost as if those who have given all were offering solace to those who have benefited from their service.

As I watched others I saw the same quiet respect and emotions of gratitude. Sometimes they were outward emotions, more often than not they were quiet visual signs of respect.
The most unusual emotion I felt that day came as I was leaving the exhibit.

As we were leaving I decided to purchase a cap with the words “Vietnam Veteran” on the front of it. I put the cap on walked out of the exhibit area. As I walked a lady looked me straight in the eye and said, “thank you for serving.” I was completely taken by surprise and couldn’t think fast enough to figure out what to say so I just said, “thank you.”

I was totally shocked by the emotional feeling that came over me. It put a smile on my face and made me feel really proud. This was the first time since returning from Vietnam in 1966 that I had been thanked by a stranger on the street.

At that point I asked myself if this is how the servicemen and women I have thanked for serving over the last ten to fifteen years felt. If it is then I know that it has been more than I had anticipated. I vowed to make sure I continue to thank our service and women forever.

Maurice Emery is the Editor Emeritus of The Littleton Observer. In addition to regular news coverage for the paper, he also writes a weekly column.