A Proud Moment for Marco

The replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall which is located in Washington D.C. has now left our area after another triumphant visit being on display for over four and a half days at Veterans Community Park.

Our hats go off to the American Legion Post 404 for its leadership role in making the visit another spectacular success, along with the many agencies, organizations, businesses and individuals who banded together to make its recent visit a success.

Over the brief period of time that the Wall came to the island, we witnessed men and women who were directly connected to it deal with the memories they have held onto for the last 45 years since its “official end.” For many, unfortunately, the end of that conflict did not cease on April 30, 1975, when ink was put to paper by the two governments. Instead, the agony of war, the loss of comrades and family members would be carried with them for the rest of their lives.

The emotions poured forth as residents and visitors who had direct connections visited the Wall. Memories were unearthed as our attempt to honor the 58,220 names were made. Similar expressions of sorrow and loss will be seen wherever the Wall will travel this year, as well as the permanent Memorial found on the Mall in Washington, D.C.

There were special moments throughout that week, many of which will stay with those that had the privilege of witnessing them firsthand. The pride which was shown on the faces of those men and women on their “iron-horses” (motorcycles) which escorted the tractor-trailer that carried the Wall and its assorted components to the island on that Tuesday was a magnificent sight, to say the least. Ron Hobson, a longtime Marco resident and Navy Veteran who saw combat duty on the waters of Vietnam, had led the Marco contingent that escorted close to 500 bikes onto the island, to the cheers of those who assembled to “welcome those 58,220 fallen veterans’ home.”

Close to 275 volunteers joined forces to assemble man and disassemble the wall during its stay here. That outpouring of respect was a grand gesture by an island that understands the word patriotism and all that it stands for.

Other evidence of the patriotism which exists here in our area was abundantly on display on those days while the Wall visited our island. Wayne O. Smith flew 90 combat missions during the conflict before being shot down and taken captive. He then spent 5 years of captivity in North Vietnamese prisons before being released at the end of the war. Smith continues to work tirelessly for veterans here in South Florida and beyond.

Our own Jim Lane, a proud member of the 7th Air Calvary, a proud group of soldiers who first utilized the insertion of ground troops via Huey Helicopters in combat theatres, whose heroic actions were documented in the book “We Were Soldiers Once and Young,” and later in a movie “We Were Soldiers.” Their battle in the La Drang Valley was a well-documented success of the value of the Air-Cav.

One of the most moving moments for me though was my opportunity to spend time with Tom Britten, a resident of Marco Island who had lost his brother, Roger Britten, in 1965. Due to logistical issues, Tom never had the opportunity to hug his big brother before he deployed to Vietnam. Within 4-6 weeks of arriving in-country, Roger was lost in combat.

The kindness shown by a stranger to Tom helped to ease the long journey home for this brother’s funeral and to console his mother.

The compassion and thoughtfulness shown by his friends with the “F-Troop” of the Island Country Club 55 years later had brought Tom to tears. Unbeknownst to Tom, they assembled 70 members to honor his brother Roger and their friend as Tom arrived to visit the Wall on that Sunday before it was disassembled and left the field.

In his closing remarks, Lee Rubenstein, the Commander of Marco American Legion Post, honored Roger and the wonderful financial support received from “F-Troop,” which made the visit of the Wall possible.

The word “closure” is often utilized in speaking about what the Wall means to those veterans and families of that conflict. For many, however, it may simply mean a transitioning away from the sense of loss, hurt and anger that has been felt over the last 45 years since the cessation of hostilities, for nothing will completely take away the void they will always feel.