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Advice And Warning From An Experienced Veteran

March 7, 2007

My name is Dan Golden, a Vietnam Veteran and member of the Massachusetts Vigil Society - one of the remnants of the Veterans Vigil Society - which started by Ohio Vets outraged that there was nothing at the Wall honoring our P.O.W.’s and M.I.A.’s, and that there was no American Flag flying there yet. They proposed a 24 hour/365 day a year vigil for our missing servicemembers. They envisioned each state sending a volunteer contingent to the Memorial to do a week’s vigil.

The vigil started on Thanksgiving Day, 1982. We did our first Vigil Memorial Day in 1983 and have not been able to stop. Since 1988 we have been on the grassy knoll east of the Memorial with our large American Flag and our large P.O.W. Flag.

On Veterans Day weekend in 1983, I went to Washington D.C. to help celebrate the first year anniversary of the Wall. Unbeknownst to me, anti-war activists protesting our involvement in Grenada were starting their march at the Memorial on their way to the White House and the Capital Building. As they started their march down Constitution Ave. from the field across from the Wall, we were coming the other way on the inside service road recreating the “Welcome Home” march of a year earlier. We numbered about three hundred, they numbered about three to five thousand.

It was not pretty. It was the first time I was called “baby killer” and such. The media was there and they were baiting us to start something. Although a few skirmishes broke out, for the most part, we took the the high road and acted honorably.

After their protest march was over, however, a lot of them returned to the area and tried to carry their anti-war signs and such through the Memorial. It did not happen. The Police were with us but vastly out numbered - if it were not for ‘Nam Vets they would have disgraced our Memorial. I can still see in my mind’s eye a Special Forces disabled Vet - in jungle fatigues in his wheelchair - chasing protesters away with one of their own signs!

We have to be eternally vigilant! On a quiet Tuesday morning in May of 1989 or 1990 while on our week’s Vigil, Moonies tried to march three hundred strong through the Wall on their way to somewhere. Less than a dozen vigilant Vets stopped them, telling them “over our dead bodies”.

The Massachusetts Vigil Society will be there on the 17th to help protect our Sacred Ground from insult and injury (unfortunately with out our large flags displayed on the hill). And a thought for you Eagles: stand tall; look good; take the high road if possible. We must protect ours without stooping to their gutter level.

Thank you and we will see you there!

Sgt. Daniel P Golden
140th H.E.M. Co.
Long Bihn 1969-1970

Written by Redhead Infidel · Filed Under Guest Authors, Uncategorized 

Comments

10 Responses to “Advice And Warning From An Experienced Veteran”

  1. Elyse on March 7th, 2007 7:33 pm

    We’ll be there…and not just for one day.

  2. George on March 7th, 2007 11:23 pm

    Thank you Dan. I also will peacefully stand amongst the Eagles protecting the ‘Wall’ from desecration. Our military currently fighting need to know that we are truly supporting them.

  3. Kali K. on March 8th, 2007 1:39 am

    Amen.

  4. Howard Kestenberg on March 8th, 2007 6:55 am

    We few ,We Band of Brothers,I will be proud to stand with you on St Patrick’s day!

  5. Coop on March 8th, 2007 7:02 am

    We’ll likely be outnumbered again, Dan. But there will be enough of us to honorably accomplish the mission.

  6. Kevin McCarthy on March 8th, 2007 8:09 am

    Dan,

    I’m a little confused about your comment which seems to lump “Moonies” in with these anarchists. I happen to know many members of the Unification Church and I would like to say a couple of things. First, they are generally very strong conservatives, very patriotic, pro family and pro-military. . .not unlike the Mormons in that regard and in the way that they have often been misunderstood. Rev. Moon, their leader, and several members of his church, founded and to this day run The Washington Times. . need I say more? No doubt there could be a lot of “moonies” as you call them, defending the wall on Paddy’s Day. . . .which brings me to the second point.

    . . .I know they feel that the term “Moonie” is a derogatory term aimed to dehumanize members of the Unification Church. It was a term invented by the liberal press.

  7. GoE on March 8th, 2007 11:50 am

    Perhaps he meant “moonbats’.

  8. Coop on March 8th, 2007 12:05 pm

    There’s no doubt in my mind that’s exactly what Dan meant by “moonies.”

  9. Dan Golden (delta golf ) on March 8th, 2007 12:09 pm

    Kevin-I meant no insult by calling them “Moonies”-and I was not trying to connect them to the current crop of anachists-they had a permit to march BY the Memorial on Constitution Ave., not THROUGH it. And on that day they were not very polite,patriotic or American.If Viet Nam Veterans can not March 300 Srong with flags in formation through the Memorial with out a proper permit,niether can they! At least not if I am there. I mean them no ill will but they were way out of line. “VOX CLAMATIS”.

  10. Coop on March 8th, 2007 12:19 pm

    Well, guess I was wrong. :-} LOL

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