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Guest Column – The Wall That Heals offers healing for Vietnam veterans

The Citizen

Mertztown residents Leann and Michael Sacks were among the crowd to see The Wall That Heals exhibit make a stop at Fleetwood Park on Sept. 19.

A ceremony was held at Fleetwood Park and groups posed for photos in front of the exhibit truck. With a camera in hand, Leann captured the momentous occasion, sharing numerous photos on social media as well as with the MediaNews Group.

The Reading Motorcycle Club, state police, Fleetwood and Kutztown police, founding members of The Wall, Eddy Gehringer, Craig Reinert, and volunteer truck driver Clifford Hay and his wife Ann were among the people she met and photographed at Fleetwood Park.

  • The Wall That Heals passes Brandywine Heights Elementary students on its route from Fleetwood Park to Kutztown Park on Sept. 19 (Photo courtesy of Leann Sacks, Mertztown)

  • Reading Motorcycle Club members escorted The Wall That Heals from Fleetwood Park to Kutztown Park on Sept. 19. (Photo courtesy of Leann Sacks, Mertztown)

  • The Wall That Heals is escorted past students at Brandywine Heights High School on Sept. 19. (Photo courtesy of Leann Sacks, Mertztown)

  • The Wall That Heals passes Brandywine Heights Middle School students on its way from Fleetwood to Kutztown. (Photo courtesy of Leann Sacks, Mertztown)

  • Driver Clifford Hay, Herb Reckinger, founders of The Wall That Heals Susan and Robert Faas, Eddy Gehringer and Craig Reinert stand in front of exhibit truck. (Photo courtesy of Leann Sacks, Mertztown)

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“We followed the truck to Topton. The students of Brandywine Heights Elementary, Middle and High School stood along the route and welcomed the truck, waving flags,” shared Sacks.

“This was a very emotional and moving experience. I listened and talked with a lot of Vietnam veterans and their families and friends that lost someone in the Vietnam War,” she continued.

Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 131 Berks County visited The Wall That Heals while exhibited at Kutztown Park. (Photo courtesy of Leann Sacks, Mertztown)

Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 131 Berks County asked her to stay when they placed the pictures and the roses and read off the names of Vietnam veterans, requesting she take some pictures for them at The Wall That Heals.

“I learned a lot. We lost over 58,000 men and 8 are women nurses. We have three in Berks County who are missing in action,” said Sacks. “I had a chance to talk with Nadine Dugan Vanzke. Her brother is one of missing, over 55 years now. Col. Thomas Wayne Dugan from Reading was pilot killed in action Dec. 13,1968. His remains were never recovered.”

Nadine Dugan Vanzke stands in front of The Wall That Heals exhibit truck while at Fleetwood Park. Her brother Col. Thomas Wayne Dugan from Reading was pilot killed in action Dec. 13,1968. (Photo courtesy of Leann Sacks, Mertztown)

One of the Vietnam veterans she spoke with had Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSS). Agent Orange exposure in his lungs and the bottom of his heart is damaged.

“I was a child when the Vietnam War was going on,” shared Sacks. “My brother was in the U.S. Army, Leroy W. Deily. Things I can remember from that time include my mom worrying a lot, waiting for a letter. My mom would go down to Fort Dix to pick up my brother and some of the other servicemen and bring them home when they were on leave. One of serviceman died over in Vietnam. I thank God my brother is still alive.”

“So please, listen and talk to Vietnam veterans. They need our help to heal. The Wall That Heals is good thing to see,” she concluded.


Source: Berkshire mont

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