From the song Names on a Wall

The Truck bringing the Wall into Marked Tree bears the designation "The Wall That Heals." (Tribune photo / Samantha Martin)

There are 58,169 names, in fact. Names of boys and married men and sons and fathers and, yes, even women. These names grace the black stone monolith known officially as the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, the VVM or, The Wall that Heals, or more commonly, just The Wall.

The song "Names on a Wall" celebrates the Wall and honors the names which are etched there…..but it was not always so. There was a time not so long ago when people celebrated the deaths of those represented by the names on The Wall.

It was a time when some cheered and even jeered at those who came home in caskets and body bags. It was a time when those who survived the horrors of what was called a "police action" came home to cries of "Baby Killer" and "Murderers" and worse.

Fortunately, though, most of those soldiers were so glad to be home, they didn't think about the protests which were going on.

"We had no idea that it was going to be like that," said Vietnam veteran Ron Taylor of Trumann. "There were protestors there when we got home, but we were just glad to be back."

Of course, times have change now, sort of.

The Jane Fondas of the world have, for the most part, apologized. Not because the Vietnam conflict was right, or wrong, justified or unjustified, but in large part because of those "names on a wall."

"I have two men on there," said Claude G. Easton of Marked Tree. "I saw The Wall when it was in Wynne. It's great for recognizing people who died."

Easton was in the Army and National Guard from 1955 to 1977 retiring as a Master Sergeant. Stationed some 30 to 40 miles below the demilitarized zone, he said the main danger for he and his men in his two tours were rockets and artillery.

Even though his unit saw little combat, he's quick to point out "his" two men on The Wall.

In fact, anyone observing someone visiting The Wall can see the momentary smile of those who find the name of a loved one on The Wall. Whether it's the actual Wall in Washington, D.C. or The Wall That Heals which is in Marked Tree from today (Wednesday) through Sunday Sept. 28, it makes no difference.

But, following that smile that same observer can see the pain that so quickly replaces it. And so very often, the tears which follow the joy of discovery come next as they remember the son, the brother, hometown friend or war buddy who is no longer here.

"You can go right up there to the day they died and see the names of your buddies," said Taylor. "You can go right up and touch the name."

Taylor, a member of American Legion Post 197 in Trumann and its commander for the past 10 years, was deployed to 'Nam for 13 months beginning in Dec. 1969 as a member of the 1st Marine Division, Recon Battalion.

"I was stationed in Da Nang, but worked all over Vietnam," said Taylor who rose to the rank of E-5 or staff sergeant in his four years of regular Marine service and two years of reserve time. "Our job was to go out in six or eight man teams and find the enemy."

Most of their missions lasted for between 10 and 15 days, and of the 36 "search" missions he was involved in, 22 of those became "combat" missions, due to their success in finding the enemy.

"It's funny, but even today little things will bring back memories of Vietnam," continued Taylor. "It rained a lot so the swell of mildew brings back memories and so does mosquitoes and the sound of helicopters."

Taylor did say the sound of helicopter rotors actually bring back good memories because, "when we heard them we knew we were getting picked up soon." He also said the one war movie which was closest to his experiences was "Platoon."

When they were asked what The Wall meant to them, both Easton and Taylor began by saying that most people just can't understand the magnitude of the Vietnam War and its aftermath.

"I hope it will help a lot of people have closure," said Taylor. "It was a different time and place. A lot of people just don't understand what it was like. If we can make the public aware of what happened, it will help us who came back to feel better about it all."

Unfortunately, many still feel they let their "buddies" down, though added Taylor.

"Some of the vets still carry around guilt that they made it back and that their buddies' names are up there instead of theirs," Taylor said. "I hope it will help all of them, but I think we'll all carry some of that feeling to the grave."

"I think it's great for helping people to understand the war a little," concluded Easton. "And it should help people to understand the soldiers who are fighting for us now. I've been to Germany and Japan and people need to go there to see what could happen if a war was fought here. We don't want a war here."

Every veteran of every war would, no doubt, be in agreement with Taylor when he said he didn't really understand all the reasons for the war he fought in. He added, however, that whether a person agrees with the war, any war, or not, those who are fighting to keep our country safe should be appreciated and told so often.