http://www.wptz.com/news/vermont-new-york/upper-valley-wnne/Vietnam-veteran-Ron-Walker-brings-Moving-Wall-to-Upper-Valley
Vietnam veteran Ron Walker brings Moving Wall to Upper Valley
Vietnam Memorial replica visits Springfield in July
UPDATED 6:28 PM EDT May 28, 2012
Vietnam veteran brings moving memorial to Upper Valley
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. - 46 years ago, Ron Walker fought on the front lines in Vietnam. This summer, the Moving Wall – a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington -- arrives in the Upper Valley.
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The wall will be on the field at the Riverside School in Springfield from July 12 until July 16.
For Walker, having the wall come closer to home means the 100 Vermont names on the wall are closer as well.
“The day I got wounded over there, one of my fellow Marines took out the machine gun that shot me,” Walker said. “He received a Metal of Honor. His name is Walter Singleton. He and 761 other Marines in my outfit died in the Vietnam War.”
Those 762 names – among the 58,282 – will be here in July.
“It means a lot to me to see their names up on the wall,” he said.
Walker was 19 years old when he was sent to Vietnam. He enlisted, seeking benefits of the G.I. Bill.
“Low and behold, I went into the Marine Corps, and 2 years after, I went over,” he said.
Now as the nation commemorates the 50th anniversary of the war, Walker is leading the charge to bring the wall back to Vermont. It’s circled the nation dozens of times – each providing a new opportunity to people to see it.
Walker said he doesn’t regret his tour. One moment he thinks about in particular is when he was awarded a Purple Heart by Gen. William Westmoreland.
Walker was shot in the chest 52 days before he was set to return home.
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“I asked him in my hospital bed -- I figured he couldn't do anything since I was wounded,” Walker said. “I said, 'Why won't they let us fight it the way we want to fight it?' and he said, 'I can't, because of the politics.’ That's right out of his mouth. And it's too bad; we lost a lot of good men because of it.”
If you can’t make it to Washington, the Moving Wall is an opportunity to remember those who lost their lives for our freedom, Walker said.
“Honor those 58,000 men that are on the wall,” he said. “Let them know that they didn't die for an unworthy reason.”
Ron, thanks for all your hard work in bringing this to Springfield.
ReplyDeleteGreat job Ron for getting this to Springfield. You were there in the beginning, I was there at the end in 1973 and 1975. Here are two names to touch and remember when people visit the Memorial; Marines Captain William C. Nystul and 1stLt Michael J. Shea. These two are the last casualties in the Vietnam War. They lost their lives in April 1975 while flying SAR in Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of about 7000 Americans and South Vietnamese in the largest helicopter evacuation in history. I had just landed my helicopter aboard the USS Hancock (CV-19) and saw them crash while attempting to land at night. They were lost at sea and never recovered. They were not from Springfield, Vt. but I am. I have never forgotten their sacrifice that night and I hope others read this and think about them. John C. SHS '66
ReplyDeleteJohn and Ron, thank you for your service.
DeleteI feel I must remember Cpl's Darwin Judge and Charlie McMahon, USMC assigned to the US Embassy Saigon. Last American soldiers KIA by an NVA rocket while securing the perimmeter of the Embassy during the rooftop evacuation.
DeleteCharlie was a close friend of mine.
RIP Charlie.