The kids and I had a "micro-mini" unit study on the Viet Nam conflict before we went. Although I was alive during the last part of the conflict, I knew very little about it. I had heard my dad talk about it occasionally when it came up in a political discussion, had read a bit here and there about it, and had a friend growing up whose dad was a VietNam vet. I had seen Billy's dad's photos from those days, but he has never talked much about them.
I was first surprised to learn how long the conflict lasted. I knew it was a long time, but had no idea it was 16 years...1959 to 1975. We also learned that 58,000 Americans died in the conflict. Seeing those names on the wall...even the smaller-scale, traveling version, was pretty incredible.
I was glad that we went at night; I think the exhibit was more impressive in the dark than it would have been in the daylight. :) But...I wasn't able to get a good shot of the whole memorial due to the lighting...I kept trying, but to no avail.
There were flowers and other memorials at the wall, no doubt left in memory of loved ones who died in the war.
There were volunteers at the site who assisted in finding the location of names on the wall by looking them up on computers and then providing slips of paper with the location info and an area to do a rubbing of the name. Richard Blake was my FIL's friend.
Emlyn reading names on the wall.
Bayley looking at the rubbing Billy did for his dad.
While we were studying in preparation for our mini "field trip", we found some great photos of the actual memorial in Washington D.C. here. Definitely worth a look.
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