The Irish on the Wall
Memorial Page Archive

Don't blame and hate the soldiers, hate the enemy! The soldiers had no choice-they were required by their "uncle Sam", and also on the flip-side of that coin by their "uncle Ho", to go off to war, and to do the duty that all soldiers have been required to do by the elected (or self-appointed) officials of their respective Nations (or tribes, or rebel-rousers, or followers of the "Napoleans" of the world as it existed at that period in time, For as far back as historians have been documented a special historical subject called: MILITARY HISTORY.

How could you possibly, Anne, put the blame for that war on the Irish and American Heroes who died while trying to protect and preserve that very special entitlement which we in America cherish so much, that we (both American and Irish men and women) would willingly leave on a far-away battlefield called "Vietnam", all that they (those 58,240+ whose names are on The Wall in our Nation's Capital) ever had, and all that they ever hoped to be, so that the rest of the people back in America could continue to enjoy that beautiful word called: FREEDOM!

I say again, Anne, shame be upon you. In my humble opinion, speaking as a two-tour 24 month Vietnam U.S. Army Veteran who has both the physical and mental scars to verify what I have just said, once again for the third time today, shame be upon you. You really, in my opinion, have done a dis-service to your fellow Irishmen and Irishwomen who also have their names chiseled into the granite on that beautiful monument known officially as the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial. Please note that it is merely called the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial. The official title of that Memorial does not single out U.S. Veteran's, because we, as a nation, deeply appreciate the fact that citizens of such wonderful Countries as: Ireland, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, The Philipines, Chinese residing off the Mainland of Communist China (i.e. free-loving Chinese who are experts in free-enterprise and reside on an Island some 20-30 miles east of mainland-communist China), Turkey, et.al., ad infinitum!

Anne, it appears to me, again in my humble opinion, that at some point in your current lifetime, you may have, and I repeat may have, been either a friend of, or an acquantinance of a young lady/American actress named: Jane Fonda. Here again, this is only my humble opinion, and in the USA, in accordance with the unalienable rights given to us as citizens of this glorious country's Constitution written and signed by our founding fathers back in the 1776-1784 timeframe we have the freedom to express our opinions, within common-sense limits.

Anne, I sure hope that you, and your producers of that infamous video documentary you may have helped produce (??), but which you, I believe, narrated... I, in my humble opinion, hope and pray that both you and the others involved in putting that documentary together have the intestional fortitude-or common decency- to appologize to such wonderful men and women as: Mr. Jim Driver, the beloved brother of U.S. Army Captain John Cecil Driver; The parents (if still living) and other immediate relatives of the Irish-born Nurse who also died while serving in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps; and all the other immediate relatives of the other approximately 18 Irish-born citizens who came to America,and who stepped forward when they either volunteered, or were drafted by the government of their new and welcoming government of their new home of residence. All of us shall now be awaiting your your response...the ball is now in your court.

Rick Rescorla could sing every soldier's Irish ballad ever written, including: "Garry Owen", "Sgt. Flynn" and "Wild Colonial Boy"; and he sang these songs to his troops while they were waiting to be attacked by the North Vietnamese. Rick was a hero on the battlefields, and he was a hero in his civilian job as Vice President for Security at the World Trade Center.

In 1993 he led a large group of school children down 57 flights of dark, smoke-filled steps to safety, after terrorists exploded a bomb in the basement of the WTC building. On 9/11/01 he once again led 3,000 people to safety, after the terrorists flew planes into the side of the buildings. After getting 3,000 people out, he went back up to get seven more people in wheelchairs, and has not been heard from since.

As many who knew him well imagined, he died a hero's death by giving his life so that others could live. Even though Rick was born in England, he was a hero for all nations, and all times. Those of us who served with him in battle, as well as his family and friends, are comforted by the realization that he will now be up in Heaven happily singing the many Irish ballads that he knew and loved so well.

When I think of Maurice, what I remember most is his brogue and the fact that his favorite baseball team was the Phillies and Granny Hamner was his favorite player. In a world filled with Jersey accents and Yankee fans that idolized Mickey Mantle, he sure stood out from the crowd.

John Driver also had a very enjoyable sense of humor, which he displayed with his fellow combat buddies, and other friends. John was a favorite not only with fellow soldiers and his leaders, but also with those of us in the medical Platoon of the 7th Cavalry Battalion, including our Battalion Surgeon, Dr. William Shucart, and myself as a 2/Lt Medical Platoon Leader. Those of us who served with John Driver in the 7th Cavalry in 1965-66 recently paid special tribute to John at the official Veteran's Day 2000 Ceremony at The Wall in Washington, where his brother Jim Driver came all the way from Dublin, Ireland to receive a special plaque in honor of his beloved brother, Lt. John Driver, who was killed on his second tour in Vietnam, in April, 1969. The script for the presentation, which was read by John's Regimental Commander of the Seventh Cavalry, Lt. General Hal Moore, USA, (Ret), ended with the words which I shall end with here " God bless John Driver, and God bless his family.

He, and they, will never be forgotten by his fellow soldiers, and by a grateful Nation that was both honored and blessed by his presence."

Sincerely, John R. Howard, LTC, USA, (Ret)
LTC John Howard, USA, (Ret) <cmbjohny@epix.net>
Carlisle, PA USA - Friday, December 29, 2000 at 05:26:37 (CST)

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