Hundreds honor Vietnam veterans during Wall That Heals ceremony in Shaler
Thousands of names are etched in the stone, honoring local men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.
'It's so important that these children recognize what I did, what my brother did, what my uncles did, and what my grandfather did,' said veteran Daniel Bonnett.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, commonly known as The Wall, was dedicated in Washington, D.C., in 1982 and is one of the most visited memorials, attracting an estimated 5.6 million visitors each year. The Wall That Heals was originally unveiled as a half-scale replica in 1996 and upgraded to three-quarter size in 2018. It measures 375 feet long and 7.5 feet high at its tallest point, consisting of 140 panels made of synthetic granite.
Shaler Township is one of only 31 communities that will experience The Wall That Heals.
'If you had a family member who died, whether you knew them or not—an aunt, a sister, a brother, or a father—you should show respect, and we need to honor that, as everyone deserves respect,' Bonnett emphasized.
Vietnam Veteran Jake Buckler, a Shaler and Penn State graduate who was drafted at just 21 years old, expressed how he initially did not receive this recognition upon returning home in 1971.
'There was no acknowledgment when I came back. I returned on June 8, 1971, and flew into Pittsburgh Airport. My mother and father were there to greet me, but no other family members or friends recognized what I had done,' Buckler recalled.
Like many Vietnam veterans, Buckler faced indifference and, at times, hostility, making it difficult for him to process his grief for the friends he lost.
'A lot of people don't understand what happened back then. I have two classmates from the [Shaler] class of '65 who are on this wall, and I have come to acknowledge their sacrifice,' he said.
On Monday, hundreds gathered at Anderson Field in Shaler Township to remember those who were lost and those who returned home.
Buckler described the ceremony as long overdue and one that provided him with a sense of healing.
'This is an amazing event, and I am so thankful to everyone who participated and helped bring this here,' Buckler said.
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