On Veteran's Day I went to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC to remember the men and women who served our country and their families who have lived with the memories. This ceremony was heart wrenching, especially with the music and speeches, including one by Karen Spears Zacharias, a woman whose father was killed in Vietnam. She encouraged us to always remember the men and women at the front, but also their families back home.

While the "pageantry" is very meaningful, I have come to really admire the people who attend and who run this ceremony. It is about the people - not the wars or the country or the world (although these are all important). Jan Scruggs always starts out with "meeting the person on each side of you, so that you don't ever again have to feel alone". And after hearing the National Anthem,  at least one very deep - from the heart -  speech, followed by Amazing Grace on the bagpipes, and Taps --- by that time it is very important to me to know that I, too, don't have to cry alone. In the photos that follow I will share with you some of the pageantry, but also the people who attended Veteran's Day 2004 at the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial.

Jan C. Scruggs, Founder and President,

 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

The National Anthem, sung by Staff Sergeant Daniel Snyder, U.S. Army Band

Invocation

Most Reverend John J. Kaising

As the ceremony is signed for the deaf, a seat is reserved for the POW-MIA who is unable to attend.

Diane Carlson Evans, Founder and President of the Vietnam Women's Memorial Foundation

Karen Spears Zachariah

Author, "Hero Mama"

Ms. Zachariah's speech (and the whole ceremony) can be seen in its entirety on a web cast: www.tvworldwide.com
Note: Fast forward (if you know how!) to about 35 minutes from the start.
(Sorry if it doesn't work out.)
 (Although it was not even mentioned in the local newspapers,
for me it was the most important speech in the ceremony.)

The Honorable John P. Murtha,

House of Representatives

Amazing Grace on the Bagpipes
by Chris Jackson

followed by

Taps
by Joshua Lies