From Dulles Airport I grow impatient
Not knowing my way around.
It has taken all day
Leaning on my cane
To make final roll call at The Wall.

Anguish long repressed now incites
A Mekong march, broken bones, shattered futures.
At peace, brave ones, we muster at this desolate,
This blessed knoll.

Amid children celebrating credulity
The black gates loom high in the sky,
A magnificent shrine that enrolls your names
Amongst forgotten gods.
This vanquished leader weeps in his joy.

Here hobbles the barnswallow
Who once lead eagles into the sky.
And such Good fortune is more than I deserve.
Consummate honor to you, brothers all,

From the remnants of the spark to my soul.

Lt. Stephen Brown, USN
South Vietnam, 1972
North Vietnam, 1973

In college I was in Navy ROTC. My freshman year company commander was Terry Graves who had elected in Marine option at the beginning of his junior year; instead of time at sea during midshipman cruises he attneded various Marine grunt camps where he learned/trained to be a grunt.

Terry became engaged his senior year. I knew his fiance. He was married, graduated and commissioned all on the same day. His little marines made a successful beachhead; his new wife found herself quite pregnant the day Terry shipped out for Vietnam in 1968 and assigned the 3rd Recon Batallion.

His Medal of Honor citation reads as follows:

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Platoon Commander with the Third Force Reconnaissance Company, Third Reconnaissance Battalion, Third Marine Division, in the Republic of Vietnam on 16 February 1968. While on a large-range reconnaissance mission, Lieutenant Graves' eight-man patrol observed seven enemy soldiers approaching their position. Reacting instantly, he deployed his men and directed their fire on the approaching enemy. After the fire had ceased, he and two patrol members commenced a search of the area, and suddenly came under a heavy volume of hostile small arms and automatic weapons fire from a numerically superior enemy force. When one of his men was hit by the enemy fire, Lieutenant Graves moved through the fire-swept area to his radio and, while directing suppressive fire from his men, requested air support and adjusted a heavy volume of artillery and helicopter gunship fire upon the enemy. After attending the wounded, Lieutenant Graves, accompanied by another Marine, moved from his relatively safe position to confirm the results of the earlier engagement. Observing that several of the enemy were still alive, he launched a determined assault, eliminating the remaining enemy troops. He then began moving the patrol to a landing zone for extraction, when the unit again came under intense fire which wounded two more Marines and Lieutenant Graves. Refusing medical attention, he once more adjusted air strikes and artillery fire upon the enemy while directing the fire of his men. He led his men to a new landing site into which he skillfully guided the in-coming aircraft and boarded his men while remaining exposed to the hostile fire. Realizing that one of the wounded had not embarked, he directed the aircraft to depart and, along with another Marine, moved to the side of the casualty. Confronted with a shortage of ammunition, Lieutenant Graves utilized supporting arms and directed fire until a second helicopter arrived. At this point, the volume of enemy fire intensified, hitting the helicopter and causing it to crash shortly after liftoff. All aboard were killed. Lieutenant Graves' outstanding courage, superb leadership and indomitable fighting spirit throughout the day were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country."

Terry's medal is on display at the Miami University NROTC Hall. I saw in 1985. Right then and there I made myself a promise to "visit" Terry at The Wall. In Janue of 1993 I rendered his name a salute at Panel 39 East, Line 71. What I remember so vivly was that people walked behind me as I stood in front of Panel 39 East. I also remember children playing ("Amid children celebrating credulity")seemingly indifferent to where they were.

As for the poem's name, "Hallowed Be" are of course words from the Lord's Prayer, probably 62 of the most revered--and remebered--collected words in the English language. The title inspires, I trust, one to remember those who never came home from 'Nam with a reverence similar to that of a simple yet evocative prayer. I will leave it for future readers to regard the work as they so choose, but to me "Hallowed Be" is a testament.

Steve

The Wall