The Spurs hosted a "mini-reunion" on Veterans' Day 2000 in Washington, D.C. with the purpose of placing a wreath at "The Wall" in honor of our fallen brothers from the 3/17th Air Cavalry Squadron, and to also pay our respects at the grave site of Lt. Knuckey and Sgt. Taylor at Arlington National Cemetery and the honor of meeting the Taylor family and Lt. Knuckey's fiance' Pamela Cole.
Lt. Knuckey and Sgt. Taylor were killed-in-action inside of Cambodia on 27 May 1971 and returned for proper burial in 1993.... Dan Sutherland witnessed that tragic shoot down from his Spur Huey....
"In the Midst of the Spirit"
"Lord, grant that my sacrifice might be understood
in the warmth and glow of Your Love"
Nephews of Sgt. Phil Taylor at grave site of Lt. Knuckey & Sgt. Taylor
Arlington National Cemetery - 12 Nov 2000
Courtesy of the Taylor Family
"Some Gave All..."
Laminated Centerpiece of wreath honoring our fallen Squadron
troopers that will be kept in the Wall Archives
Courtesy of Pam Young
3/17th personnel and surviving family members attended this memorable event. Those attending were:
Dan was able to answer many of Chris' questions...
Honorary Spur, Chris Taylor & Roger "Bear" Young
Courtesy of Chris & Crystal Taylor
Delta Troopers John Dungan (L) and Bob Bennett (R) joined us placing the wreath at the Wall
Courtesy of Bluetigers
Photo courtesy of Chris & Crystal Taylor
Back row, left to right: Chris Taylor, "Bear" Young, Ingo Haas, Dan Sutherland, Ed Marzola
Kneeling, left to right: Dave Sizemore, John Garrison, Ray Cormier
Dan meets Lt. Knuckey's fiance', Pamela Cole
(L to R) Jan & Chris (sister and brother of Sgt. Taylor), Roger & Dan
in "Spur Ops" at the Crystal City Marriott
[VVMF Program Transcript] 9 a.m At The Vietnam Veterans Memorial In Washington, D.C. "They honored us and their country with their service, now we must honor them"
Presentation of the Colors: Pledge of Allegiance: National Anthem: Retiring of the Colors: Invocation: Welcome: Remarks: Presentation:
Keynote Address: [Dr. Venter's Keynote Address - courtesy of VVMF] Wreath Laying: "Amazing Grace": Taps: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Project Fund wishes to thank: All our dedicated volunteers; sign language interpreter Earl Elkins; Maj. Gen. Mike Conrad for coordination of the color guards from Fort Hood's 1st Cavalry Division, 3rd Signal Battalion, 4th Infantry Division and Ft. Bragg's 82nd Airborne Division; Joe Belardo and the 1st Battalion 44th Air Defense Artillery color guard representing the National Dusters, Quads and Searchlights Association; Bobby Jackson and the Vietnamese Ranger color guard; bagpiper Chris Jackson and his wife Nancy whose father's name, Paschal Boggs, is on The Wall; and David Thistle, Paul Masi and all of the Veterans Advisory Board of the Verizon Corporation for providing American and POW/MIA flags. Please visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's home page at: www.vvmf.org and experience The Virtual Wall at www.thevirtualwall.org (*)
We remember longtime volunteer Ruth Ann Foster,
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and the National Park Service have
__________________________
* Spur Footnote: There is more than one "Virtual Wall" on the net.
|
The Wall
Written by Vietnam veteran, Tim Murphy
[Original lyrics provided by Tim Murphy].
CHORUS:
The Wall is many granite sections, solid, cool and black. CHORUS:
CHORUS: Tim Murphy - © 1985
My brother brought me downtown to the Mall;
Past the watchful eyes of Lincoln, 'neath a weeping summer sky,
We crossed the street to the little green and visited The Wall.
I remember I was nervous then, I guess a little scared,
'Cause I wasn't sure how I'd react at all
To see the names of the servicemen who'd been recorded there:
Who'd heard the final roll call and assembled at The Wall.
Or a daughter or a brother or a cousin to someone;
Or a name might be a classmate or a friend you may recall:
There's nearly sixty thousand fallen names still waiting at The Wall.
A visitor may pause to touch a name;
It just seemed that in the dark reflections, hands were reaching back,
As if to greet and touch and hold the hands of those who came.
Someone might stoop to leave a rose, a letter, or a poem;
A message to a young man loved and lost,
To show they still remember those who never made it home:
Who built The Wall so long and tall, and paid the bitter cost.
I read a different story in each face;
And I couldn't help but wonder at this pilgrimage we'd made,
And what common bond, if any, might have brought us to this place.
There were tourists, and the curious, and some Veterans who came,
Still others who sought an answer to it all;
But the only thing I'm sure of is: we left not quite the same,
With our memories alive and well, and waiting at The Wall.
As sung by John McDermott at the Wall
Veterans Day, 2000
Written by Vietnam veteran, Tim Murphy
[As transcribed by Chris Taylor]
I remember I was nervous then, I guess a little scared And every name's a father, or a husband or a son, The Wall is many granite sections, solid, cool and black, Someone might stoop to leave a rose, a letter or a poem And every name's a father, or a husband or a son, As I watched the lines of people that walked by in slow parade, There were tourists and the curious and some veterans who came, And every name's a father, or a husband or a son, There's nearly 60,000 fallen names still waiting at the Wall.......
My Brother brought me downtown to the Mall
Past the watchful eyes of Lincoln, 'neath the weepin' summer sky,
We crossed the street to the little green and visited the Wall.
'Cause I wasn't sure how I'd react at all
To see the names of the servicemen who'd been recorded there
Who'd heard the final roll call and assembled at the Wall.
Or a daughter or a brother, or a cousin to someone;
Or a name might be a classmate or a friend you may recall,
There's nearly 60,000 fallen names waiting at the Wall.
A visitor may pause to touch a name.
It just seems that in the dark reflections hands are reachin' back,
As if to greet and touch and hold the hands of those who came.
A message to a young man loved and lost;
And to show they still remember those who never made it home,
Who built the Wall so long and tall and paid the bitter cost.
Or a daughter or a brother or a cousin to someone;
Or a name might be a classmate or a friend you may recall,
There's nearly 60,000 fallen names waiting at the Wall.
I read a different story in each face.
And I couldn't help but wonder at the pilgrimage we've made,
what common bond, if any, might have brought us to this place.
Still others who sought an answer to it all.
But the only thing I'm sure of is we left not quite the same,
With our memories alive and well and waiting at the Wall.
Or a daughter or a brother or a cousin to someone;
Or a name might be a classmate or a friend you may recall,
There's nearly 60,000 fallen names waiting at the Wall.
Photo Courtesy of Ingo Haas, HHT - 3/17th
The Inspiration for the Song
From CD insert
"The song, the Wall, by Tim Murphy, and Army veteran marks his visit with his brother 'on a drizzly D.C. morning' to the 'many granite sections, solid, cool and black' of the memorial at the heart of American government. As Tim said in a letter to John, his intention, 'was to convey the idea that the Memorial was not built by the living but rather by those who died and created the wall with their names and life's blood.' [Tim Murphy served with the 4th Infantry Division, Bravo Company, 12 Infantry, 1968-1969]
"Murphy and McDermott have agreed to see the royalties from 'The Wall' to support homeless veterans throughout the United States.
"When John thinks of memorials, he also flashes to a more modest monument than Washington's Wall, but one that was the first in the U.S.
"The M Street Memorial was dedicated in 1981 by Southie, the people of South Boston, who wanted to remember their 25 sons who fought and died far away. Across the bottom of the black stone are the words, 'If you forget my death, then I die in vain.' It is a commitment of love that Southie honors each year. One veteran at the dedication was a native of Canada. Will Basque, a Mikmag Indian who resides in Nova Scotia. He first met South Boston friends over in Viet Nam and to this day remains their buddy - a reminder that many Canadians also fought and died in Vietnam. Will remembered his American comrades in a poem, two lines of which are a statement and a plea. 'And as we grow older than war lets allow, / We keep their names living, their spirit our vow.' "
Courtesy of Vickie Sutherland
Dan talks with John McDermott following ceremony
See: www.johnmcdermott.com
go to "online store" and then select one of the
CD's that has "The Wall"
"Remembrance" is an excellent and moving collection...
Please also see: http://www.soldierssongs.com
Additional Veterans Day 2000 Tribute Links
Tribute to Lt. Knuckey and Sgt. Taylor - For more specifics and photos courtesy of the Silver Spurs
Gold Star Parents
Dad & Mom Taylor
Courtesy of the Taylor family...
We 've Got Each Other
I can see a certain look in your eyes,
I can tell that you've been there too.
I can tell you too hurt just like me
and you know
All I want is to really live again
As long as we've got each other
When nobody seems to care.
We've got someone who knows, someone who cares
We've got each other
When the rest of the world turns away
We've got each other, to carry the pain
Can't say it's gotten much easier
The wounds heal, but the scars remain
I don't have to tell you how empty I feel sometimes
'cuz you know
All I want is to really live again
As long as we've got each other
When nobody seems to care
We've got someone who knows, someone who cares
We've got each other
When the rest of the world turns away
We've got someone who understands just how hard it is to carry the pain.
As long as we've got each other
We've got each other to carry the pain....
Lyrics to a song, author unknown
 |
|---|
Our thanks...
...The Silver Spurs
© Northwest Veterans Newsletter - Permission to link - Roger "Bear" Young
Silver Spurs
Lest we forget...
To the
Click on Icon!
