“The Traveling Healing Wall” rolled into Medford, Wisconsin, lead by motorcycles, police cars, and fire trucks. Hundreds of children from the Medford Middle School welcomed it to their school. This is where it would be set up. I noticed many others were ahead of these kids. People young and old welcomed this semi from storefronts and sidewalks across this small town. The semi was full of the names of soldiers killed in Americas Vietnam war. This greeting was later heard by millions on another important day. Veterans Day 2009. Our county had flags flying at half mass. We were grieving for the lives taken at Fort Hood. In some fashion this school played a part in the healing taking place with this shooting. On the day that this welcome was shown on TV (on CNN), these lives were being laid to rest. Healing had began.

This Healing Wall arrived on Monday and was quickly set up in only a few hours on Tuesday. 25 people had signed up to help and over 50 arrived. Tents were set up and the names of soldier’s killed, who lived in Wisconsin, were highlighted. Names that on there own seemed like it went on forever. Each one with a picture and a story. All these assembled by school children, volunteers, and teachers. Names from their own town were included.

We then watched on Veterans Day the Middle School unveil the wall that was built. Honor was shown and children sang. A small child walked freely, throughout the entire gym, protected by warriors and his village. At the end of this touching ceremony I watched to see who was the last to leave the gym. It was a soldier named “Hanna”. She was holding the flag as another soldier was making it to the door. A soldier nick named “Wild Bill”. He was 88-years old and wore his 101 Airborne colors proud. He shared with us that his first combat drop out of a plane was on D-Day. He served under Douglas MacArthur. The movie “The Band of Brothers” he knew well. These were his brothers. My wife Bobbi is shown walking with him. Not helping but walking with. As he left the gym it was the flag held by Hanna who honored him. We will never forget meeting this man. His eyes held many stories behind them.

The experience watching people show up at this healing wall I will never forget. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, all made the journey. All had different reasons. Some walked slow up to see it, and the lens of our camera stayed closed. I heard tears came straight out of the heart. Healing was taking place. I seen some get close to this wall, only to end up walking away. Vets greeted each person with soft voices and compassion. They stood guard 24 hours a day. November in Wisconsin can be cold and windy, snow can appear at any time.

When the camera lens went back on it was to share a story about a Green Beret who flew in from the State of Washington to sing first to children, and then later to a city. His Name is Hank Cramer and in the video he and Kelly Parkinson sing “Touch a name on the wall”. He knows something about this personally. His father Harry Cramer Jr., once considered the first official casualty killed in Vietnam, died on October 21, 1957 (1E, 078). He followed in his father’s foot-stepsto become an Army officer, paratrooper, and Green Beret. This is what his website shares about him "He served in Germany, Central America, Korea, Okinawa, the Philippines, and several stateside posts. His fingers play the music of a life he has lived. Hank shared with me, before the concert, that he was honored to be at the school. It was the largest turnout of school children he had ever seen. Hank also is one of the best-loved folksingers in the American West. He's known for his booming bass voice, smooth picking on a vintage flat-top guitar, and a wry sense of humor. Hank's repertoire is a mix of original, traditional, and contemporary folk songs. They tell the stories of cowboys, sailors, soldiers, miners, adventurers, and just plain drifters. That fits with Hank’s life story: he has been an underground miner, a professional soldier, shanty-man on a square-rigged sailing ship, wrangler for a high-country outfitter, and a world traveler. Those experiences make Hank’s music ring with a special authenticity".

The video shows young who are now learning of these lives lost. Children are being talked to by another Green Beret (Skip). Children are touching the names. Many stories were told and discovered during the 4 days I was able to cover it.

The Healing Wall will be in Medford, Wisconsin until November 15, 2009. May we never forget the cost to war and the lives it leaves behind. The parades have finished for this Veterans Day. Yet I have a feeling this semi will know many in the coming months and years.

This project, in bringing this to Medford, Wisconsin, was only a vision 3 years ago.  A vision that Bryce Kelley, a Social Studies teacher at the school felt. He had blown out his knee a few days before the unveiling. You'd never know this by watching him though. I never seen him sit down once. He shared with me the people who all played a part in seeing this project come to life.

"Over the past three years many people have been involved in bringing "The Wall That Heals" to Medford. The origins of the project began at the Medford Area Middle School and included myself, and fellow social studies teachers Justin Hraby and Sara Holewinski. It also included our Principal Al Leonard and assistant Principal Charles Heckel. Once we had an outline of what our goal was we invited other school employees and Medford citizens to join our planning committee. Other school employees include Don Grant, Deanna Hartman, Libby Orth, Eunice Mayer, Becky Risch, Bill Dallas, Gloria Lindahl, Julie Scott, and Jill Fortin.

To help advertise and get the word out, our local radio station, WKEB/K-99 sent Dewey Frey. Our local news paper, The Star News, sent reporter Mark Berglund.

Also included were Veteran's organizations from our community. The Klossner Dietzler VFW Post #5729, its Ladies Auxiliary, and the American Legion Post #147-Landua Jensen were involved in helping us make sure that we followed all protocols. Tom Marschke represented the VFW. Taylor County Veteran's Service Officer Dave Thomas was also served on the committee and added invaluable insights.

Lastly, Dave Koester, Dennis Cypher, and John Willman, three members of our community also added their touches to this project. None of this would have been possible however, without the support of our community, its citizens, and its businesses. Hundreds of people donated not only money, but countless hours of their time to bring the project together."

The unveiling ceremony is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMcvyyh6zwg. Watch as this small child walks into the unveiling ceremony. It speaks volumes about this town, and about what many Americans believe in.

Photography credit goes to Eunice Mayer and a couple from me.

To learn more about Hank Cramer please visit his web site at http://www.hankcramer.com/index.html. A true American Hero.

"The Wall That Heals" is associated with the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Fund and Jan C. Scruggs. (www.vvmf.org) Please visit this link to learn more.