What an event! As Mary and I were leaving I said, "I am sure this event changed some vets lives." It was very emotional for us. Most of the people we saw, vets and wives, vets and children. vets and grandchildren were our age. The large map in the Lambeau parking lot, was a gathering place for the vets. They found the area or areas they were in and wrote notes, memorials, or their name, dates, branch of service, and unit. It was very powerful watching them on their hands and knees touching and tracing the areas on this huge vinyl map. Mary wrote Ed's name as he was in Viet Nam in the Navy. He died 5 years ago as a result of his exposure to asbestos during the war. The Moving Wall (a replica of the wall the one in Washington D.C.) was also a place where vets and family left notes or memories. Whoooh. There were programs, speakers, displays, music, food, etc. At night, Lambeau Field and Stadium was the location of a program thanking and welcoming home the Viet Nam Vets. It was amazing. Larry Philips was on the big jumbo tron screen in Lambeau performing the Empty Table Ceremony. Hey Larry, I saw you! That was after a motorcycle ride from La Crosse (over 1000) riders to Green Bay.
Fly overs, planes, helicopters, all very cool. There was a chair on the playing field for every Wisconsin Vet who died in Viet Nam-over 1200. White chairs in straight rows-very poignant.
At the end, Governor Doyle spoke and introduced a vet who had been in Viet Nam all the way through to Iraq. He had just come home from his last tour-60 years old. As a welcome to him, he was National Guard, the Wisconsin National Guard marched in through the tunnel where the football players do. They just kept marching in and in and in. They surrounded the field! They were dressed in their camo and berets. To look them in the eye (we were in the 6th row from the field) was emotional.
My ride on a Harley Davidson Motor cycle is another story!!
