Some explaination is in order here . . . This video was shot on Veterans Day 2012, late morning . . . just a short while before the official ceremonies were to begin. What's noteworthy is that I was leaving my fatigue jacket with the bronze star and purple heart I was awarded with serving F Company 75th RANGERS in Vietnam at the foot of panel 32 W which bears the name of my very best friend In Country, Duane A. De Vega. With the best of intentions I commemorated his life and how much he meant to me. I mentioned that I hoped to soon meet with his son Duane Jr. I gave a special shout out to my wife Corky, who not only had done so much for me but also for so many other veterans during the life of the (gone since the late 90's) Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial . . . the "Moving Wall" and countless hundreds, if not thousands of hours of her personal time. Unfortunately (on both counts) having just received the phone call from my sister, about 90 minutes previous to this, that our mother had passed away this very morning, I failed to confirm that the external microphone was switched on (and as you will see . . . it wasn't). I decided to post it anyway. I'm not a public speaker of any description and it's really too bad we didn't capture the audio because for once in my life I really outdid myself. You'd have been proud of me Mom.
