Two Vietnam War Veterans Reflect on Seeing Familiar Names on the Wall

In the summer of 2018, Twin Cities PBS brought a traveling replica - the Wall That Heals - of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that stands in Washington, D.C. Over a single weekend, thousands of people from across the Midwest flocked to the Minnesota State Capitol grounds to pay tribute to the men and women who served in Vietnam, but never returned.

Two veterans share their reflection on what it means - what it feels like - to see familiar names on the Wall That Heals, reigniting personal connections with those who died too soon.

Artist David Geister spent several days taking in the sights and stories at the Wall That Heals events and offers his reflections on one of the most moving experiences of his career in this Minnesota Remembers Vietnam submission.

This story is part of the collection The Call to Serve: Stories of Sacrifice, War and the Way Home, which was funded by the Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation.