Ephemeral: The Wall – 03/26/1967

washmonWe are in DC, as you can see. It is Spring Break and we needed a getaway place. There other reasons we are here, but for now, we are here to take in the sights, sounds, and the tastes of our nation’s capital. I have been here before and so has B, but this is the first trip to DC for our kids. By the time, I was W’s age, I had visited several capital cities across the globe, but never had been to DC.

Ephemeral – \i-ˈfem-rəl, -ˈfēm-; -ˈfe-mə-, -ˈfē-\ – lasting a very short time

That’s how life is. You blink and it’s gone. Life is about being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s not good. It depends, and my good might be your not good and vice versa, it’s perspective.

There is a lot to see in DC and if you blink it will be gone, but I always try to visit The Wall. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I visited it for the first time in 1995, and again in ‘08, and again yesterday. Visiting The Wall never gets old. I always look for the same name, Douglas E. Dickey. 17E 50. I do not know anyone else who served in the war and, I admit, I really do not know Douglas E. Dickey, either. I just know he’s B’s cousin and I’ve met his parents and seen the medal. So, I honor him. Every time. Ironically, the day we visited was almost the exact day he gave his life for his country, March 26, 1967. Yesterday was March 29, 2015. Doug was 20. Today is March 30 and it is a blink.

As I walked the wall silently looking at the names etched into the granite, I saw a name that seemed different. Jerry L. Antrich. I looked twice. This is what I saw….

antrich
you can’t miss it, if you can’t find it – it’s center right….

 

His name seemed out of place, as if it hadn’t always been there. It screamed look at me, so I Googled the name. This is what I found…..

wall_antrich
click for more information….

 

He’d been forgotten and his name and thirteen other men had been left off the memorial. There names have since been added, which is why Jerry’s name had stood out among all of those names.

Jerry was 37 when he was wounded and 39 when he passed away. He was almost twice as old as Doug. Ephemeral – lasting a very short time. I am eternally grateful for Doug and Jerry’s service and sacrifice. There are over 58,000 names etched into The Wall. Everyone of those names has a story that was all too short. May their names never be forgotten – Enduring.

Today will also be fleeting, too short. So, I had better get moving, and press publish before the day passes me by. It’s gonna be a great day, maybe a million and six times bettern than yesterday. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, one memory, one moment, ephemeral.

What’s made you pause, stop, and take a second look lately?

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Ephemeral.”

5 thoughts on “Ephemeral: The Wall – 03/26/1967

  1. I started to read this post several days ago, and had to come back to it. I was curious about the newly added name, and wanted to read about him. I’m glad you googled him and provided the link. I’ve been to the Wall, but I didn’t realize that they don’t necessarily have everyone’s name, that it’s an ongoing process. Thanks for pointing him out. He deserves to be read about. They all do.

    1. You’re welcome… as I walked the mall, I had planned an entirely different post, but when I saw the name that stood out, the post changed and took a different turn. I always find B’s cousin, now I have a new name to find. B’s dad served in WWII and we spent time at the WWII memorial, I regret we never took her dad to see it. We had a good time in DC, but my favorite moment was on the way home – I’ll be writing about it next (I hope). Thanks for coming back to read, enjoy your day – may it be sunny and full of warmth.

  2. What a wonderful experience and how observant of you to notice the “new” name. I love these types of memorials and I try to visit them whenever I can, if I’m in the neighborhood or close by. I’ve never been to any of the memorials in DC but that is on my bucket list.

    I love the Civil War Memorial in Vicksburg Mississippi. If you haven’t been there and you get the chance – go.

    Have a great spring, Clay!

    Patricia Rickrode
    w/a Jansen Schmidt

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