The "Wall That Heals" in Kinston this weekend | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This article originally appeared in the Beaufort Observer.

    I had the opportunity Thursday to participate in the opening ceremony, in Kinston NC, of the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall, the "Wall That Heals". This wall is a half scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington DC. A very good crowd enjoyed the B-52 flyover performed by Capt. Lohmeyer and his crew from the 2nd Bomb Wing stationed at Barksdale AFB in Shreveport La; the Bagpiper, Explorer Post Scouts posting the Colors and listened to the reading of the names of local men that appear on the Wall. They also listened to Col. Patricia Blassie, USAF, as she recounted her experiences of having her brother buried in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery before he was identified and re interred in his hometown cemetery at Jefferson Barracks Missouri. This identification process was initiated by Kinston native and Vietnam vet Ted Sampley. Col. Blassie talked about the despair, confusion, and finally vindication and closure that the family experienced during the long evolved process. The ceremonies concluded with a 21 gun salute by the Seymour Johnson AFB Honor Guard followed by a bugler playing Taps.
The traveling replica of the Vietnam War Memorial when it visited Veteran's Park in Washington, North Carolina on April 22, 2010.     photo by Stan Deatherage
    Last night in the mist and cool air a crowd estimated at about 200 stood or sat under umbrellas and watched the Kinston Fire Dept Color Guard as they posted the Colors, and listened to Capt. Eugene "Red" McDaniel USN Ret; a Kinston native, who was shot down over N. Vietnam in his A-6 Intruder in 1967 and spent 6 years as a POW. He experienced severe torture during this time for his participation in an attempted prison escape. He related in pretty good detail the events of his shoot down, his injuries he suffered during the bailout and his subsequent capture and captivity. He has also had the opportunity since his retirement from the Navy in 1983 to become aware of how the US government has mislead the country regarding the abandonment of roughly 1000 servicemen still unaccounted for from that conflict. He stated that "This wall needs to stand as a monument not only to those whose names are on the wall but to those who are still unaccounted for.

    The ceremony was completed with a reading of the names of the 49 individuals from NC who are still listed as MIA (Missing in Action). As each name was read a candle was lit and place in front of the podium. A MIA formal ceremony called the Table of Remembrance was performed by CMS David L. Hamel USAF Ret; and Amazing Grace was played by bagpiper Sgt. 1st Class Robert J. White, USA Ret. as he trooped the wall.

    The Wall will remain on display in Emma Webb Park through Sat and Sun before it moves on to its next destination. Admission is free and it is open 24hrs a day.