The are multiple reasons why I put "Our Wall" on this home page, the first being the most obvious . . . it allows them to be remembered.  It allows me an opportunity to work on some of the "stuff" that has been complicating my life for the past twenty-some-odd (pushing thirty) years now.

I knew some of these guys -- not nearly as well as I might have wished, some hardly or not at all.  It has been my hope that some of "my guys" that knew them will become involved in the telling of something about them, because it is important that they continue to live on through us.

I hope that the children of (those that had them) these fallen members of F Company will find us, or that you might help us find them, because we have something to give . . .  All too often (we) the surviving Veteran, does not realize the memories he or she holds inside is perhaps the greatest gift one could share with the children and remaining members of the family of our fallen.

Yeah, I know, it's hard when that old, "How am I gonna act?" monster begins to take hold, but jeepers, you survived the war and there must have been a reason for that!  There is work yet to be done before we go to join our brothers in the sky (or wherever it is that you believe you go to when your mission on earth is complete).

It serves many purposes to become involved at this late time, and is one of the ways to find some good in something that was not so good for us or America back then.  I just feel that now it's time, IT'S TIME GENTLEMEN, to "come out of the woods" and get after it.  We need, no, we must begin the healing process and be well enough to talk, to write, to see, and touch the lives of others by sharing both those memories and lessons with the children and future generations.  This is how we become whole . . . to complete the circle.

Those of us that made it back have (in my view) a responsibility waiting to be met. Speaking for myself I can't count the number of times I have wondered what I can do to make it a little better . . . but now I know, there wasn't an answer -- just another question . . .

If I hadn't made it home and they had, would Duane, or Sully, or Charlie or any of the rest of them gone on this one last mission for me -- found my family and told my story?

You bet!