Against the backdrop of Saturday evening's sun-tipped clouds above the tree-lined mountains, The Moving Wall was the center stage in Palmerton Park for hundreds of visitors who came to view the names of the 58,000 men and women who died in the Vietnam War.

Framed photographs; red, white and blue crosses; and single red roses adorned the walkway along the entire length of the wall.People of all ages, from the elderly and frail to the young mothers pushing their baby carriages came to pay their respects.Lesson for the youngWhen soldiers returned from Vietnam, there were no parades and many of the youth of the '60s and '70s saw these men as symbols of a war that America should never have fought.Dave Long of Palmerton and a veteran of the Korean War, said the Wall has helped to make an impact on today's youth."The entire Palmerton football team helped put this Moving Wall together," he said."They were eager to work to show their respect to the names, especially to those from Carbon County who died in Vietnam."I told one 18-year-old boy that there were 33,0000 names on the wall of 18-year-old soldiers who died in Vietnam," Long said. "He was shocked that so many of the fallen were of his young age."Antonio Franco of Walnutport, 12, walked along the wall with his mother, Janet. His father is in the National Guard."I'm here to give my respect to these men because they helped to keep us free," Antonio said. "I want to be a Navy Seal when I get older to serve my country, too."Jim Rovinski of Kresgeville, who did a tour in Vietnam from 1965-69 explained it's different now with young people."When youngsters see me wearing this veteran's cap, they will shake my hand and thank me for my service to the country."Families that were never to beVietnam veteran John Russell of Pottsville emphasized the total number of the fallen."People don't realize what 58,000 bodies put together looks like," said Russell, who did two tours in Vietnam."It's like an entire town was entirely wiped out," he said. Some of these men never had the chance to marry and have families and children and grandchildren."Their families were destroyed before they could have them."Richard Nothstein of Palmerton, and a Moving Wall committee member, echoed Russell's words."See what they did," he said pointing to the wall. "I can't come close in 50 years to what they have given to this country. I have enjoyed marriage, having kids, going on vacations. They never had a chance."Nothstein told a story about a friend of his, a Navajo Indian, who served in Vietnam as a soldier in the Navy."His name was Ramone Nakia and the day he came home from Vietnam, he hung his dirty and unwashed uniform in the closet," said Nothstein. "Eight years ago he was invited to the White House to receive an award for his service. He asked if he could wear his unwashed uniform. He was told no. He declined the offer."The horrors hit homeRovinski, who served as an Air Force mechanic in Vietnam, returned to his home with vivid memories of the tragedy of war."Many times I saw our men carrying body bags dripping with blood into our helicopters."His wife, Kathleen, went to Pleasant Valley High School with David Bartholomew, who was killed in action in 1968 at age 20."David was a fun-loving and a very sincere boy," she recalled. "Growing up in a small town, there wasn't much to do so the families would just sit around and the kids would get together and just make some fun for ourselves."Kathleen Rovinski remains friends with Bartholomew's sister and still sees her for dinner dates.Never to be forgottenMaster of ceremonies George H. Duell drew applause from the audience when he reported that each of the 58,000 names was called out aloud and the entire list took 31 hours to complete.Another veteran who served in Vietnam, Theodore Hittner, of Kresgeville, knew 15 of the 18 names of the soldiers who were honored in the special ceremony."The wall in Washington, D.C., opened up our eyes, not only to the names of those who gave their lives for their country, but to the half million who served during that war.""This is something else," added Rovinski." It's a great place to get together to honor the fallen."Wall of sorrow - Wall of joyAfter each of the wall's 18 local men's names were called, a bell was rung and individual family members holding memorial wreaths were escorted to the exact spot on the wall where his name was placed. Luminarias were then lifted into the evening sky as a symbol of the light of peace.The Rev. Winston Hill, after a blessing for the fallen and for the veterans who still live with broken hearts, told the audience there can be a new meaning to the wall now. It has shifted from being a wall of suffering to a wall of joy."The men and women on the wall have had their souls filled with peace," he said. "Now the light of their lives reflects a sense of peace in us, when we remember them as people we loved and people who brought joy into our lives."Lifting spiritsVietnam veteran Bill Gallagher of Palmerton said the war was fought in a country that was hot, humid and dusty, and after it rained, it was hot, humid and muddy.As the ceremonies came to a close, the heat of the sun was replaced by a cool breeze, sending a "sign of peace" sweeping across the park.Gallagher called on people to contact military families whose father or mother is serving away from home, and take their children away for the day to a place where the kids could have fun.He asked people to remember those who are serving and cannot be home with their families at holiday dinners.Gallagher, who called the local fallen "our 18 heroes" spoke his final resounding words near the close of the ceremony."Tell your congressmen that we never, ever again want the need to build another wall with 58,000 names."