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OurVietnamWarMemorialToRememberistoHonorByYMGySgtKyleAldridgeHeartofTexasOnthe28thofMarchmyunittheHeartofTexasYoungMarineswasin-vitedtoperformasunsetmemorialceremonyandcolorguardhonoringthebravemenandwomenwhofoughtanddiedduringtheVietnamWar.ThecolorguardwasperformedattheVietnamMe-morialPlazaindowntownWacoTX.Thememorialwhichwasestablishedin2004islocatedatthecornerofWash-ingtonAvenueandUniversityParksDrivealongthebanksoftheBrazosRiverandnearthehistoricWacoSuspensionBridge.Thememorialhasapark-likesettingandisidentiedbyacircularwallsignedwiththeinscriptionVietnamVeteransMemo-rial.Awalkwayleavestheplazaandleadsthroughaforestof68trees.Thetreeswereplantedinmemoryofthe68ser-vicemenfromWacoMcLennanCountywhodiedinVietnam.OnetreeringstandsemptyinrecognitionofthosestillMiss-inginAction.Threepavilionsarelocatedwithinthetreeseachonesymbolizingadifferentera.Pavilion1titledTheBeginningrepre-sentsourcountryandusasindividualsbeforethewar.AplaquestatesBeforethewarwewerewhole.Pavilion2titledTheConfictissimilartoPavilion1butistorndownandbro-kentorepresentthewaritselfitsde-structiontheturmoilthelossoflivesandthedivisivenesswithinourcountry.AplaquetherestatesTheVietnamwarbroughtdestructionandturmoil.ThelastpavilionisentitledTheHonor.ItsplaquestatesThesacricesofthosewehonormakethishallowedground.Letusstrivetoreuniteandheal.Thisdis-tinguishedmemorialpaystributetotheWacoMcLennanCountyservicemenandwomenwhogavetheirlivesduringtheVietnamWar.Thisceremonywasimpor-tantbecauseitwasonthenightbeforethersteverNationalVietnamMemorialDayandwasatWacosveryownVietnamMemorialsite.Atthebeginningoftheceremonyacolorguardpresentedtheags.IledthecolorguardanditincludedYMSSgtDakotaTurnerYMSSgtTrintonTurnerandYMCplKatieMarkham.WemarchedtothemiddleoftheplazafacedtheaudienceandpresentedthecolorssothattheattendeescouldrecitethePledgeofAllegianceandof-ciallystarttheceremony.Duringtheceremonyabriefhistoryofthemonumentwasgivenaswellasareadingofthenamesofthosekilleddur-ingthewar.Itwasemphasizedhowim-portantitwasthattherewasnallyaNa-tionalHolidayhonoringtheseveterans.ThespeakerthenaskedtheaudiencetoturnaroundandwatchastheAmericanandthePOWMIAagswereloweredtohalf-mastwheretheywouldremainuntilthefollowingMonday.ArecordingofTapswasplayedandthecolorguardpresenteditscolorsagain.Assoonastheagsreachedhalf-mastthespeakerutteredthememorablewordsTorememberistohonor.Atthisstate-mentIrealizedhowimportantitwastohaveparticipatedinthisonceinalife-timeevent.CrossRoadsYoungMarinesAttendRunForTheWallByMrs.CarrieRodmanAdjutantCrossRoadsTXTheCrossRoadsYoungMarinesofBigSpringTexaswelcomedveteransontheirwaytoWashingtonDCforMemorialDayatBigSpringsAnnualRunfortheWalleventonMay17th.RunfortheWallbeginswithmotorcyclistsfromCaliforniaandacrossthenationastravelingtowardtheeasttheyarejoinedbymoreandmoreridersalongthewaybeforearrivingatournationsCapitol.TheRunfortheWalleventpromoteshealingamongallvet-eransandtheirfamiliesandfriends.Itisinremembranceofveteransourprisonersofwarandthosekilledinactionfromallwarsandallbranchesofservice.CrossRoadsYoungMarineswereextremelyexcitedtobeapartofthisyearsevent.YoungMarinePFCRavenHoguinofCrossRoadsYoungMarinesassistedveteransinlayingofthewreathinremembranceatBigSpringsVietnamMemorialdur-ingtheRunfortheWall.ESPRITPage13