President Ronald Reagan
&
(The Vietnam Veterans Memorial)
By
Robert A. Chapin
Copyright 2011
Smashwords Edition
Revised September 3, 2011
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Sunday, November 11, 1984, as Veterans Day, and I invite all Americans to join with me in paying tribute to those patriots of all generations who have drawn upon their freedom for the will and the courage to fight for their country and the ideals for which it stands.
Ever since I was discharged from the army in 1970, Vietnam has been a great part of my life. In fact, in 1982 when The Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall was under construction, I was excited to visit this magnificent shrine to my fallen comrades. It was designed Maya Lin to honor all Vietnam veterans and I could not wait to pay homage and in some small way contribute to the change about to take place in America.
Designer Maya Lin: was born October 5, 1959 in Athens, Ohio. She is of Chinese American heritage (not Vietnamese as many people are of the assumption). Maya received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Architecture from Yale University in 1981, and a Master of Architecture also from Yale in 1986. She also holds honorary Doctorate Degrees from Yale, Harvard, Williams College and Smith College.
What better place to construct this distinguished tribute than at the base of the Lincoln Memorial. Private contributions was the momentum behind this grand endeavor and today it stands as a mark of respect to those who paid the supreme sacrifice.
Following my discharge from the army in 1970, I settled in East Longmeadow, a small New England town in Western Mass., approximately one hour from world famous Lenox, Stockbridge, Amherst, South Hadley to name a few places.
The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge featured in Norman Rockwell’s paintings Stockbridge Main Street At Christmas has been a favorite Berkshire getaway for me and my wife Maureen ever since I can remember. We have enjoyed iced tea while sitting on the grand old rocking chairs on the front porch and scrumptious lunches and dinner in the dining room. In all honesty, I miss The Berkshires.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial become the nation’s newest monument when it was accepted on behalf of President Ronald Reagan on, November 10, 1984. I was among the throng of two hundred fifty thousand people at the dedication ceremony.
On November 11, 1984 the day following acceptance by President Reagan the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial or better known as The Wall was officially transferred from civilian control to the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior and it became a national monument.
* * *
Three Springfield, Mass motorcycle cops and I traveled to Washington, D.C. several months prior to the official dedication of The Wall. The purpose was to find the names of our fallen comrades - a solemn occasion. Workmen were in the process of working on different phases of the monument and the cobblestone walkway had not been installed at this point, and I recall walking on wooden slats. Even in the construction phase thousands of people were visiting the new monument.
Today, The Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial is one of the most visited monuments in America. Millions of people from the world over visit the memorial annually. As a result of that visit I was anticipating with great pain in my heart what I was about to discover: and that was the names of three comrades - one who died in my arms. I recall standing in front of the panel and without following the procedure of how to find a name, darted my eyes in all but the right direction. My body and mind were numb as I refused to take the time to properly search their names.
When I eventually found the name, I pressed my hands into the granite for what felt like an eternity. As with a so many who visit the memorial for the first time I sobbed to a great extent - and it all seemed like a blur. I often wondered that if I had never visited The Wall I could have lived my life with the expectation that they did not die in Vietnam. Seeing is believing!
I take great pride on being an amateur photographer and snapped a photo of their names and also made a pencil rubbing as depicted on the cover of this story. When I returned home and had the film developed (this was years before digital cameras), I noticed in the depth of field a familiar but blurred name of someone I may have gone to high school with. The name was Arvid O. Silverberg. Arvie was my best friend. We were Boy Scouts together, and his dad was our scoutmaster.
Names like Jones, Smith, Johnson, Brown are common, but there were only 2 Arvid O. Silverberg’s in this world: Arvie and his father. Was it possible that this could be my friend? I called his mother and she confirmed that Arvie died in a fiery helicopter crash on January 23, 1969. Arvie was a pilot having recently graduated from helicopter flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
From that point on I was angry and wanted to really make my feelings known by saying what I was not allowed to say when I was in uniform. I booked a flight and returned to Washington where I came face to face with Arvie’s name etched into the black granite. Having determined that it was Arvie I wept until I had no more tears or energy.
On my return trip I wrote a poem about my anger and frustration with the war and the two trips I made to The Wall awakened a sleeping giant. The poem has a history all its own. I am including it here. I can not say it is for your enjoyment because that would not be proper. It is not for everyone, but there are those who will appreciate its meaning, and those who will not. It will be included at the end of this short story.
I scribbled my feelings on a piece of paper in approximately fifteen minutes and when I returned home presented it to a friend who owns a large printing company. He was moved by its meaning and following the proper typesetting and selection of paper, 60,000 copies were printed on acid free, ph neutral 11” x 14” 80 lb cover stock. My feelings were now aroused and with my eagerness to release my first literary creation “The Wall,” it became an overnight sensation. The subject of Vietnam was hot!
I called ABC news affiliate WGGB, Channel 40, in Springfield, and reporter Pete Dragon came to my office, filmed me reading the poem as a voice over while back at the studio the production department displayed footage of combat in Vietnam. One interesting result was that as chance would have it, a group of protesters were marching in Washington, D.C. and holding a banner was a cousin I had lost contact with many years earlier.
As a result of airing The Wall on the 6:30 and 11:00 PM news, the piece won the prestigious Tom Phillips Award for 1983 as the best documentary of the year. It essentially placed me on the map. There were poem signings, personal appearances at colleges and universities, public television talk shows, and I experienced my fifteen minutes of fame!
I contacted our Congressman, Silvio O. Conte from my district and he agreed to accept a framed copy for President Reagan. I signed the poem along with a personal note to The President and had it assembled in a gold frame. Again, I flew to Washington to Congressman Conte’s office and upon displaying it he was so moved by its genuine sentiment suggesting he make arrangements for me to present it to The President personally in The Oval Office.
This would have been the first time a Vietnam illustration was displayed in The White House. The congressman’s office was making plans to notify me when I could personally present the poem to The President, but plans were abruptly cut short when Conte‘s office called informing me that The President sends his regrets and the scheduled meeting with Mr. Reagan was cancelled as a result of The Marine Barracks in Beirut having been bombed killing 241 Americans.
However, in a show of gratefulness, the congressman presented me with a personal letter from The President offering his gratitude for what the poem and my personal message meant to him and on behalf of all Vietnam veterans.
Congressman Conte personally contacted me and described how The President was also moved by its meaning and message. Although I was unable to present the framed piece personally, Congressman Conte did manage to present it to President Reagan in the Oval Office. Below is the contents of my poster poem The Wall and the sentiments from a thankful President Reagan:
The letter from President Ronald Reagan:
January 20, 1984
Dear Mr. Chapin:
I want to express my sincere gratitude for the framed poem and letter which Congressman Silvio Conte presented on your behalf at The White House earlier this year. The special interest that lead you to share with me your tribute to our courageous Vietnam Veterans is deeply appreciated. I will treasure your work as a meaningful remembrance of the patriotism and sacrifice it represents.
With my best wishes for the future,
Sincerely,
Signed
Ronald Reagan
Since its release in 1982, The Wall has sold in excess of 150,000 copies. It is at the end of its second and final printing. Of the several thousand copies remaining, if there is an interest in obtaining one for a Vietnam Veteran or a veteran’s family you may contact me at:
Sincerely,
Bob
THE WALL
By
Robert A. Chapin
Copyright 1982
When you gaze upon the granite wall,
And fix your eyes upon the name.
You will see the one for whom you call,
When he died in America’s shame.
You can see his young and frightened face,
See the awesome firepower.
How do you tell a Gold Star Mother,
She has lost her blooming flower?
When you listen to the granite wall,
You hear their cries of death and pain.
How we tried to comfort them,
Only God knows if they died in vain.
You can also hear your congressman,
“America is not at war!”
With 59,000+ who lost their lives,
If no war what did they die for?
Take a step and touch The Wall,
Find the name you know so well.
You have no voice, you cannot hear,
As your tears begin to well.
It has been too long for the names to appear,
A token sign points the way.
Tell me America, what is your fear?
Is it more fiery thunder… on a not too distant day?
Now speak as one, so loud and clear,
A message to those on The Hill.
Must you persist to bury our sons,
In lands that never lay still?
The Vietnam Veteran has a painful heart,
Memories that refuse to fade.
We too, proudly served in time of need,
But the Iranian hostages had their parade!
Sergeant Robert A. Chapin
United States Army
13th Signal Battalion
1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile)
Copyright 1983