THE AMERICAN VETERAN'S TRAVELING WALL

The American Veterans Tribute set up The Traveling Wall May 21, 2009 in Lufkin at the V.F.W. post on 1800 Ford Chapel Road. The wall is in remembrance of those that lost their lives fighting for our country. It took several hours to assemble the 370 foot wall. It is 80 percent the size of the memorial in Washington. However, it includes all of the same names and has the same impact as the memorial. The wall was open to the public 24 hours a day and it stayed through Memorial Day. They took it down Tuesday morning at 7 a.m.

On Wednesday, May the 20th, I saw a sight that I've never seen in my life before when the American Veteran Traveling Tribute rolled into Lufkin, Texas. My daughter and I had went in to town to grab a bite to eat and when we were heading back home, I heard sirens. Naturally, I stopped right where I was at. The policeman motioned for me to continue going and all I could see behind me was more cops and a limousine with flags on it.

Now, I'm not one to read the paper or to watch the news on tv, so I had no idea what was going on. I thought that maybe President Obama had came to town! I turned onto a side street and went through a neighborhood to get back onto the road to take us home. Lo and behold, while I was at the stop sign, here comes the police again! I was beginning to think I was in trouble! Thankfully, he kept going and the next thing I saw were 5 different cop cars, the limousine, 4 of the area radio station vans, our local paper's car, and the television van. I watched as they turned into Lufkin VFW Post and thought that was the end of it. Just as I started to go forward, here comes another cop car with sirens and lights blaring!

Behind him came, what I can only surmise, were at least 150 motorcyclists on Harley Davidsons. Now, if you aren't familiar with a Harley, you will never forget the rumble and vibration when you DO run across one. To sit there while they all passed by was an experience of a lifetime! Now, I don't drive a small car, mind you. I have an old 97 Chevy Blazer that weighs quite a bit when I have it loaded down with my candles, as I did that day. But that blazer rumbled with the vibration of those Harleys!

My daughter and I waved and saluted everyone that we could! I loved that I got to share the experience of it with her. Simply because of the fact that I got to teach her about something that children don't seem to learn about in school anymore. Why she should respect a member of our Armed Forces, what they have done for us, and why she should thank one when she sees them. The same thing my dad taught me as a child. I thought just how fitting it was to watch all of those American made motorcycles roll that beautiful tribute to America's Heroes into town!

The next day we visited the tribute. I spoke with the men who were working there selling t-shirts, who were both veterans and was so proud of my daughter for speaking up and telling them thank you without me having to tell her to. I wish I had thought to ask them their names but I didn't even think to.

We walked around the area and you could sense the magnitude of what that wall meant in the air. I'm not really a cry at a commercial kind, but I cried walking around and reading the names on that wall. I had a great uncle who died in a war, but I never knew him as it happened before I was even born. I'm truly blessed. But I'm more blessed because of the names on that wall and the ones who continue to fight for our freedom. The impact of it hit me so hard in the heart that I broke down and just flat out cried. One of the veterans in the booth came towards me as my daughter and I were leaving and I told him, "I don't normally cry like this." To which he replied. "That's the patriot in you. Nothing to be ashamed of." I hugged his neck and told him thank you for everything and we left for home.

The next day, I went back again with my camera to get some photos of it and carried those two vets some BBQ. I walked around getting photos of the artwork they had there and the moment I got within 6 foot of that wall, the tears started again. Even though it's just a replica, it still carries the same somberness and glory as the real one. If you ever get an opportunity to see either of them, I suggest you do. Just be forewarned: The wall has all the power of the memorial in Washington, D.C., if you take a minute to think about the people represented on it.

I had the chance to meet a lot of veterans that day and also some servicemen. To look at the photos and art that was there and to hear those men relate their stories of war while they searched for friends' names on the wall was an honor for me. It's something I've never heard, nor done before. To stand there and watch a grown man cry and ask "Why. Why did they need that horrible war?" while reading the Korean War section was pure heartbreaking. I told him that we may never know the reason why.

As I watched him walk away, another man walked up and stood there. When I looked at him, I had to look up to the sky to see his face. He was a tall, handsome older gentleman and looked so nice in his dress uniform. I asked him if I could take his picture. He gestured for a friend of his to join him and I snapped the photo. Later I found out that he was R. LTG. Orren Whiddon. I'll never forget how tall he was!

I saw men that day walking just as straight and proud as they could in their old service gear and I saw them in fatigues as they rolled their wheelchairs up for a closer look. And on every face there was something I will never forget the look of. Pride in what they had done and sorrow for who they lost.

As I was leaving, I happened upon a young boy who really didn't even look old enough to be out of school, in his fatigues. I asked him if I could get his picture
and he stood up straight and proud and said, "Yes ma'am!" When I lowered the camera, he smiled and told me thank you for taking my picture. I just smiled at him as yet another tear rolled down my cheek and told him it was yet another honor for me to be able to take it. He hugged my neck. His name was Wes Mohon. All I could think of is that could very well be my son putting his life on the line for America.. and how much he still looked like a baby.

Even as I remember those two days and type up this lense, I still have tears in my eyes. But if given the chance, I'll go again. Hopefully one day, I'll be able to see the real wall, but if not, I'm thankful that I had the chance to see this one.