Back in 2009 the Moving Wall Memorial exhibit came to Murphy. The girls’ school had a field trip planned to visit it, but on the day the trip was scheduled there was tortential rain and storms in Murphy. At the last minute the trip was cancelled.
Katie called me from school begging me to come get her and take her because the exhibit was leaving that day. I had been out in the rain taking Granny grocery shopping and really didn’t want to go out again, but I’m so glad I did. The girls and I will never forget visiting the wall.
Right away we noticed the mementos folks had left. There was a pair of boots, hats, photos, and several Ace of Spades stuck in the cracks of the wall.
A very moving moment happened as I looked at a copy of a telegram Miles H. Nelson’s mother received notifying her of his death. The paper had been placed in a plastic bag to protect it from the rain.
As I bent over to read it I noticed an elderly lady beside me sort of glancing around. I thought I was in her way so I stepped back a few feet to give her more room.
I quickly realized she was trying to wipe the rain away from the wall so she could take a rubbing of a name. I offered to hold her umbrella. She handed it over, but her hands were trembling and the pen she was trying to use wasn’t cooperating. I told her I had a pencil she could use and she asked if I would do it for her since she was struggling.
As I rubbed the name I realized it was Miles H. Nelson from the telegram. I asked her if he was related to her. She began to cry and said no he was just a boy she grew up with that went off to war and never came home.
While we both stood crying in the rain she shared her story with me. She came from a military background. Her father-n-law served in WWI, her husband served in Germany in WWII, and her son had recently retired after a career of service for our country.
Just before I said goodbye she said folks probably thought she was silly for crying over a boy who died so long ago. I said “No ma’am people will admire you for remembering him.
“Mansions of the Lord” (music by Nick Glennie-Smith/Words by Randall Wallace)
To fallen soldiers that are seen
Where no rockets fly nor bullets sing
Our broken brothers let us bring
To the mansions of the Lord
No more weeping of our fight
No more searching through the night
Trust in Jesus name eternal life
In the mansions of the Lord
Where no mothers cry nor children weep
We shall stand and guard though the Angels see
All through the ages bravely keep
The mansions of the Lord
The mansions of the Lord
Tipper
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This brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing, Tipper.
So moving.
Paul, go back to yesterday and read my reply to you about Mac and what he asked my father in law to do.
Memorial Day is one of those times we get reminded to search ourselves. And for myself, I learn – again – that I am not thankful enough because I don’t know the depth of sacrifice for the veteran or for their loved ones. They know that. We end up grieved for all the enormous amount of grief of whatever form that often cannot find a truly adequate expression. Tipper showed it best, just cry with those who cry.
Thank you for sharing that Tipper. It sure made the tears come to my eyes.
I had 5 uncles in Vietnam and they all came home. Changed young men, but alive.
I remember Momma sending care packages and she would pop popcorn for the stuffing to hold things in place. I never forgot that and how it touched me.
May we never forget the sacrifices made for our freedoms. God bless each and every person and family that have made such great sacrifices for us. You are not forgotten!
Thank you, Tipper, for that touching story. I have never heard the song that Granny and Paul sang, it is so beautiful to listen to. Happy Memorial Day to you all, and may the good Lord keep you safe and well.
Now my tears are falling. Lord, please bless our military past and present, fallen and living.
Tipper, I’m so thankful you took the girls to see the wall. What a moving story about Nelson’s sweet friend remembering him after all these years. I admit my heart felt the sorrow as I brushed the tears from my eyes. It reminded me of when my oldest brother was in the Army fighting the Vietnam war. Seeing my mom wait each day for the mail looking for a letter from him because she knew it meant he was alive. It was a very stressful time for my parents until he came home. My dad had fought in WWII with the Army, so he knew how important those letters were and had told my brother to always write, even if it was just to say, I’m alive. My nephew was also in the Army and fought in Desert Storm. Our family was grateful to God, that my dad, brother and nephew all returned home safely. Sadly, them and many, many, many others who were blessed to come home to their loved ones, came home with scares to deep for us to see or understand. Some came home with outward wounds, some disfigured and some with diseases that they never recovered from. They all gave their best for freedom and some gave their lives. For all these brave men and women who serve our country and the right for freedom, Thank you!!! We appreciate all those in any branch of military, past, present and future for their service to our country. Thank you!!!
Thank you, Tipper, for sharing such a moving story and a heartfelt thank you to all who fought and died for our freedom. To the families whose lives were never the same when they received those dreaded telegrams, my prayers go with them. My friend’s brother’s name is on that wall. To honor him, she gave her son his name when he was born. A special thank you also to the vets who made it back home.
Thanks for sharing this story with us. Only two defining forces have offered to die for you: Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom. Thank them both today.
Thank you, Tipper – for this ‘remembrance’ of those who gave all, those who made it through, those who are still giving all, those who came home but are still fighting the battle, and those left behind.
Thank you for sharing your story of The Moving Wall Memorial, and for the song this morning. It’s so sweet that you took the girls knowing how badly Katie wanted to go and have that experience.
It’s impossible to tell how I would have reacted if I had been in your shoes that day at the wall. So many people’s lives have been touched or destroyed by the Vietnam War. It’s going to be raining today, but that won’t stop me from going to a local cemetery where I can pay my respects to hundreds of soldiers who died for us.
Wow! Tipper! That story sounds like it was meant to be for you to be there. It also sounds like the name was more than “just a boy” to that lady. My family was fortunate that the multiple uncles and my 4 brothers who served in various capacities in the military all came home. I’ll never forget the rainy day my mother, sister and I took my brother to Knoxville airport to leave for Ft Dix, NJ. Although he had not been told he was headed for Viet Nam he knew that was the ultimate destination. I think Memorial Day should be to honor and remember those who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice. I refuse to take advantage of any company’s sales on this holiday. I do not think those sales are appropriate.
Such a sweet story. It touched my heart this morning. I have overwhelming gratitude for all who have served from the Civil War through today. It truly is a calling and I appreciate them more than words could ever say.
Tommy McMahon and I were close friends in high school. We both went to Vietnam as Army combat medics. Brian Buker was a fellow medic in B-55 Mobile Strike Force, the same Special Forces unit I served in prior to his arrival. He may have been my “replacement”. Tommy and Brian share the distinction of having been awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. They gave their lives as medics in my war. We are are all Mainers. I did not realize until the other day when I saw an exhibit at Togus, our nations oldest VA hospital, that only three men from the State of Maine earned the nation’s highest honor in Vietnam. That means I have a direct connection to two of them, one of many instances in my life I like to call Laughing God moments. It may sound irreligious or disrespectful to the ears of some readers, but I know Tommy and Brian would not only understand, but give me a thumbs up.
De Oppresso Liber
I grew up during the Vietnam War and for years after it was over I didn’t want to hear it mentioned again. I lost so many friends and acquaintances that I was hurt and angry over their loss and cried every time I remembered how many dear souls were lost. One of the boys who died was someone I went to school with and sat with in classrooms and study halls. Many like him did in their youth. Many of the ones who survived have mental problems and are still fighting the war. I met many of them and as a nurse many were my patients. My husband was draft age when he graduated from high school in 1966 but through the grace of God, he was spared from going to war. We married in 1968 and when our first son was born May 9, 1969, he was re-classified and did not have to go. Tears still well up when I remember the men and women lost but I am thankful for them and their dedication to fight for our freedom.
Today I thank all the veterans who fought for our freedom and pray for those who may still be fighting the effects of war.
To all who served, thank you and God bless you and God bless America. We have so much to be thankful for.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
I’ve not seen the moving wall but I have seen the actual wall in Washington D.C.. Such a moving tribute to those who paid the ultimate price in serving their country.
I love the story before my daughter got married and she was still in school me and her and Libby went to Washington.
I wanted to see the veteran walls up there the Vietnam memorial. Long story short I wanted to see the name Reed in the book that is there to tell you where to look on the wall to see that name in the 55.000 . I was astonished when I found my exact name in the book 3 times. So some other family named Reed had lost sons with my same name. I stood there at the wall and cried knowing that it could have been me because I was headed to Vietnam from fort Bragg when they stopped the war.
Thanks for bringing this story.
Mike
Thank you to all who have fought & died for our country. Your loved ones have given us a freedom that is precious & appreciated.
The “Wall” comes to Warren, Ohio this week. I have two names associated with my maternal Grandparents that are memorialized on the wall. Both names are too high to rub but I have snapped a photo of both.
Mike, I too thought I would be headed to Vietnam for my senior trip. My county school did not have a middle school, high school was the 8th-12th grade..1968-1972. I am ashamed to admit this but I worried about having to go to Vietnam and actually thought about even failing a grade or two try to put it off longer, especially after my cousin Alfred was killed. A lot of boys from my high school and about 7 from my small county church had to go, Alfred is the only one I knew that didn’t make it back home. The draft was stopped in 1972, the year I graduated. I thought I had read it was estimated the number was 58,500 killed, think of how many more were wounded and disabled. I think of how our Country treated many of the ones that did come home.
Read my first comment, someone might be able to rub the names for you.
a very touching story Tipper, my hat’s off to the soldiers today, those who lived and those who died, and those who are currently serving, God bless in Jesus name Amen
Thank you for sharing this.
I hesitate to say Happy Memorial Day because of the ones that have lost love ones in wars. I, along with Ed wrote last week about having the names of our cousins on the wall. My cousin’s name is Broadus Alfred Whitt, panel 46E line 25, Honea Path, SC, killed March 25, 1968. Another boy from my area was killed two days later. A bit of the information about Alfred is wrong, it should be Greenville County, not Anderson County. Our PO address is HP which is in Anderson County but we live in Greenville County. I have saw the Moving Wall twice and don’t have words to describe the feelings and the cold goose bump chills I had when I looked at the names on it. I not ashamed to say I shed some tears too. My daughter and oldest grandson went to Washington on a school trip with my grandson’s school and saw the actual wall. For anyone interested, you can Google information about this Wall and get a rubbing of someone’s name free of charge mailed to you. Alfred was captain of one of the first Woodmont High School, Piedmont, SC football teams, the football stadium is now named after him-Whitt Memorial Stadium.