The Catskill Chronicle

Story by Carol Montana, Photos by Leni Santoro

BETHEL, NY — With the shining sun in the background, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC was officially opened for display at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on Thursday, May 13.

Usually referred to as The Wall That Heals, the replica has been to over 300 cities and towns throughout the nation. Like the larger version, the one on display in Bethel has the names of 58,261 soldiers who were killed or missing in action during the Vietnam conflict.

During an opening ceremony that was both solemn and emotional, The Wall was dedicated in front of an audience of current and retired service people, state, county and town officials, members of the media and the general public.

Chairman of the Board of the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Alan Gerry said that the exhibit was “Truly an honor for all of us.” He also talked about envisioning The Wall coming to Bethel Woods when the original plans for the site were being laid out. Gerry thanked the organizations “whose generous support brought The Wall to Bethel Woods,” including A & J Hometown Oil and the Vallone Family of Companies, as well as ShopRite Supermarkets for their in-kind support.

Sara Sicuro and two other team teachers from Monticello High School brought a group of students from the 9th grade social studies class. The group had been to the Museum at Bethel Woods before and had been invited back. Sicuro said “It was a great opportunity to see the Museum and again and view The Wall, because a lot of the students haven’t been able to get down to Washington, DC.

The keynote address was delivered by Medal of Honor recipient and retired U.S. Army Colonel Jack Jacobs, co-author of the book If Not Now, When?: Duty and Sacrifice in America’s Time of Need.

Jacobs was severely wounded in Vietnam, losing the sight in one eye and never quite regaining his sense of smell and taste.

In addition to the Medal of Honor, Jacobs is also the recipient of three Bronze Stars, two Silver Stars, and a couple of Purple Hearts. He serves on many boards, teaches at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, is a Director of the Medal of Honor Foundation, and a military analyst for NBC and MSNBC.

Jacobs address was both serious and lighthearted. “It’s good to be here,” he joked, “although at my age, it’s good to be anywhere.” He told the crowd what he learned from serving in the military. Things that he carried through to civilian life. “You should never separate authority and responsibility – don’t give people authority unless you also give them responsibility for their actions. And don’t give them responsibility for doing things, unless you also give them the authority to carry it out.

“Anybody who ever tells you he was not scared in combat is a lying dog,” continued Jacobs. “I was always scared in combat. And anybody who says they weren’t is either a liar or a psycho. They could be a lying psycho. …”

Jacobs humor comes from his New York City upbringing he says. When he was in Vietnam and taking language classes, he got good enough to make jokes in Vietnamese. “You gotta put people at ease. Being in combat is a very, very scary proposition. … You’ll only get the best out of your troops if they know that you’re scared but confident, and the best way to do that is to get them to relax a little bit. It’s amazing what a little bit of humor will get you, even in combat.”

Jacobs said that whenever someone asks what he misses most about the army, his response is, “The people. I can’t get those brave and dedicated people who served with me and who defend the country out of my mind. Would that the rest of the country felt the same way.

“One of the most significant things I learned, and everybody else who’s successful in the military has learned is the love for one another. Today is a day of love. War is craziness and violence, and you have to overcome it. But at the end of the day, it’s all about love,” said Jacobs.

“We live today in this country free because people before us decided they would make sacrifices for succeeding generations … I am reminded about the last line of the Declaration of Independence, the people who signed it were fairly well-to-do people, they wrote down and signed the following statement: ‘ … We pledge our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.’ and they weren’t kidding.” Jacobs said.

“We do fight for the country, and we do fight to accomplish the mission. But most of all, we fight for each other.”

Following the keynote address, a wreath was laid at the foot of The Wall by a soldier accompanied by Gold Star Mother Mabel Brucher, after which a bugler played Taps, and a 21-gun salute followed. and the crowd was allowed on the lawn to view The Wall.

The Wall is accompanied on its journey by a mobile museum containing both photos of those whose names are on the Wall, and items that people have left at the Wall in Washington, DC.

Veteran Volunteer John Halvorsen was a helicopter pilot in Plaiku, Vietnam in 1971 and 1972. He currently lives just north of Albany. “I try to volunteer anytime the Wall is in the area. I figured what better place to be at than Woodstock.

Halvorsen explained that the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC has a collection of items that have been left at The Wall. “There are probably hundreds of thousands of items there now. I don’t believe that any of them are ever thrown away,” said Halvorsen.

Inside the mobile museum are: photos and cards, gloves, ribbons, letters, patches, bullets and more.

And Halvorsen explained, “These items meant something to at least two people …”

The Wall That Heals will be on display at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on Hurd Road in Bethel, NY for 24 hours a day through 6:00 a.m. on Monday, May 17. Admission is free and the public is encouraged to visit.

Also on display in the Bethel Woods Museum Special Exhibits Gallery is the exhibit Eddie Adams: Vietnam.

Legendary photojournalist Eddie Adams worked for The Associated Press, Time and Parade Magazines, and he enjoyed a 45-year career that covered thirteen wars. As a working photographer, Adams’ images were never exhibited. Bethel Woods is the first museum to exhibit this collection of photographs to celebrate his extraordinary record of our world. This exhibit includes 50 black and white images from Vietnam, including his highly influential images of the Vietnam boat people, which were presented to Congress and subsequently influenced the government’s decision to admit 200,000 South Vietnamese refugees to the United States.

The photos will be on exhibit now through July 11. Call 454-3388 or 866-781-2922 for more information.

To view more photos or to purchase prints from The Wall That Heals visit The Catskill Chronicle on Zenfolio.