Memories of the disruption suffered in the lives of a generation were renewed again the week of May 6th as the Moving Wall of the Vietnam War combat death toll was brought to Niagara County for temporary display at the campus of Niagara County Community College. 58,219 deaths or presumed deaths are recorded here. Additionally, draft action ordered by then President Lyndon Johnson tore apart the lives of millions of other of America's young men. Hundreds of thousands served and suffered in Viet Nam. Still hundreds of thousands were required to serve in the US military in other areas. There were, of course, hundreds of thousands of military volunteers who, like today, served in the defense establishment as a career. More than a significant few dodged military service all together. The revelation made by then-Secretary of Defense, Robert MacNamara, more than 20 years after the war, that he and Johnson had lied about events that were used to justify American involvement in the Southeast Asian hell-hole shocked the world.
History has not been kind to the United States leadership which brought to millions the horror of war, the inconvenience of young lives disrupted, the loss of family, lingering health aftereffects, and...to those noted here...death. The exhibit has brought steady attendance, day and night from all over the Niagara Frontier. The exhibit ends its current run in this area Saturday evening, 5/12, with closing ceremonies. It's estimated that well over a thousand people this week have toured the wall, a one-half scale model of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington. Hundreds from this area are listed. Families, survivors, and friends stop by to pay respects and try again at healing. Some of those here were not even alive at the time of the horror and ask "Where?" Most everyone (still) asks "Why?"
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