In Memoriam of the Tour of Duty

In Memoriam of the Tour of Duty The Vietnam Memorial was built to honor the braves who gave their lives in service to their country and the preservation of freedom. It carries with it a huge weight of historical significance. It is a tribute to heroes – men and women – who ought to be remembered by those of us who need to be reminded of taking courage under fire.

Hindsight in Quiet Repose History has a way of becoming just that – history. Sometimes it is very easy for everyone to simply forget the things that shook the nations for whatever it was worth. Some say that the war was a test of our resolve to do what is right while others say that it was just an insane practice of military impudence. On the other hand, there are those who have become quiet practitioners of apathy and just continue to live or try to live in some cases.

Visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial can easily cause shivers in anyone's spine, perhaps enough to make the hairs at the back of your neck to crawl up a bit. It's not at all about the weather. Places like these are often beautifully landscaped and are given quite a panoramic view. Nevertheless, the thought and care given to memorializing these men and women in uniform is more awe inspiring than the actual landscape that is fashioned to appeal to the eye.

Anyone who has been here and has seen the names etched on the walls will eventually have to ask when did the Vietnam War start and just why did man have to travel so many miles across the sea to kill his brother. We can all take our own biases and provide our best opinions about the Vietnam War but nothing ever resounds stronger than the blood of those who actually fought in it.

The time of pointing the finger of blame is long gone and now what is left for us? Well, there are a few things that come crashing to anyone who steps back and try to realize just what these braves have been crying for all along. Their names are a testament in favor of freedom that is sealed with their lives. And with their blood that serves as autographs on foreign soil, they leave a lasting message that freedom is such a fragile thing and it comes with a price.

When you leave the Vietnam Memorial along with the thoughts that welled up in your head because of it, remember to spare at least one backward glance in your mind. Try to picture what it was like for these brave souls to want to leave friends and family behind and take on a tour of duty that will leave them bereft of the path homeward.

References: http://www.whenguide.com/when-was-the-vietnam-memorial-built.html http://www.whenguide.com/when-did-the-vietnam-war-start.html