Sobering facts about the men and women on the Vietnam Wall

Sobering facts about the men and women on the Vietnam Wall "Carved on these walls is the story of America , of a continuing quest to preserve both democracy and decency, and to protect a national treasure that we call the American dream." Something to think about: Most of the surviving parents of the dead are now deceased themselves. There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall, including those added in 2010. 
 
 The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to believe it is 36 years since the last casualties. 
 
 The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth , Mass. , listed by the U.S. Department of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965. There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall. 39,996 on the Wall were just 22 or younger. 
 
 The largest age group, 8,283 were just 19 years old 33,103 were 18 years old. 
 
 12 soldiers on the Wall were 17 years old. 5 soldiers on the Wall were 16 years old. 
 
 One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old. 
 
 997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam . 
 
 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last scheduled day in Vietnam . 
 
 31 sets of brothers are on the Wall. 
 
 Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons. 
 
 54 soldiers on the Wall attended Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia ....wonder why so many from one school? 
 
 8 Women are on the Wall -- nursing the wounded. 
 
 244 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153 of them are on the Wall. 
 
 Beallsville, Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons. 
 West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation. 
There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall. 
 
 The Marines of Morenci - They led some of the scrappiest high school football and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered. They enjoyed 
roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the Apache National Forest . And in the patriotic camaraderie typical of Morenci's mining families, the nine 
graduates of Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps. 
Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home. 
 
 The Buddies of Midvale - LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom Gonzales were all boyhood friends and lived on three consecutive streets in Midvale, Utah on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues. They lived only a few 
yards apart. They played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field. And they all went to Vietnam . In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed. LeRoy was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, the fourth anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination. Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day. Tom was shot dead assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. 
 
 The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 -- 245 deaths. 
 
 The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 -- 2,415 casualties were incurred. 
 
 For many Americans who read this they will only see the numbers that the Vietnam War created. To those of us who survived the war, and to the families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the 
pain that these numbers created. We are, until we too pass away, haunted with these numbers, because they were our friends, fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. 
 
 There are no noble wars, just noble warriors... 
 
 "That we never forget" 


Getting Smarter

A Bike Ride with God

A Bike Ride with God - Author Unknown

At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there, sort of like the president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I really didn't know him. But later on when I met Christ, it seemed as though life were rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal.

I don't know just when it was that He suggested that we change places, but life has not been the same since. When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring but predictable ... It was the shortest distance between two points. But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places at breakneck speeds, and it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He said, "Pedal." I worried and was anxious and asked, "Where are You taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I say, "I'm scared," He'd lean back and touch my hand. He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance, and joy. They gave me gifts to take on my journey, my Lord's and mine. And we're off again. He said, "Give the gifts away, they're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met, and I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light.

I did not trust Him at first, to be in control of my life, I thought He would wreck it; But He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, knows how to jump to clear high rocks, knows how to fly to shorten scary passages. I'm learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ. And when I'm sure I just can't do anymore, He smiles and says ... "Pedal."