Today I visited the traveling memorial wall for Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It was in Cape Coral, Florida, which is just down the road south of us here-about a 25 minute drive.
Because of where I parked I approached the wall from it's center and found Cecil's name on the wall in about three minutes. I knew the number, "Panel 07E-Line 110," but it took me a bit to figure out how the panels were numbered. The number is down in the left hand corner of the bottom of the panel and as the panel I was in front of was O8E I just moved over one panel.
The names are just all listed out in random order, but line 110 would be towards the bottom of the panel, and sure enough there it was. I asked a lady standing next to me to take some pictures of me pointing to Cecil's name. She handled the camera well, and so I asked her to take different shots at different distances, which she did.
I brought copies of my poem Cecil A. Broome. Also copies of my DVD "Victory" which has a recitation of the poem. I left three copies of each at the site.
The wall and the experience is presented as "The Wall That Heals," Well, it didn't heal me. It made me mad as hell all over again. I'm fierce angry and I'm going to spill my anger and spread it around. We, America, are about to get pushed out of a unjust war in Iraq just as we got pushed out of Vietman. "Last flight from Bagdad" and then the factions fighting us there can turn to murdering all the colaborators as well as each other as they have been doing right along
Where can I make some donations for the Iraq Wall?...............................................................
Today, April 30 2005, marks the 30th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam war, the day USA left Saigon. Cecil was a highschool class mate of mine at Orleans High School, Orleans, Vermont, USA. He didn't graduate with us as he was called up in his pre enlistment contract and sent Korea in the USA Army. On discharge, he reenlisted and died in combat in Vietnam...
Cecil Angus Broome Jr (SSG/ARMY) Sep 05,1933 to May 26, 1966
by Henry B Stevens 04/22/2004
Cecil, we never learned a goddammed thing. Today's headlines are about increasing troop strength
Only this time Iraq instead of Vietnam. But all the body bags stink the same.
"May 26, 1966 hostile ground casualty gun small arms fire Body was recovered"
"Panel 07E--Line 110", but your homecoming to Lancaster NH was the biggest event in years.
Cecil, we're still led by hyprocites. Nixon promised to end the war with honor.
In 1968 he spoke at Grinell School, Derry NH where I listened and later voted for him.
He tricked us all, no peace instead napalm-cremating people alive and destroying villages to save them.
Then the invasion of Cambodia massive bombing followed by withdrawal leaving our allies to be massascred.
Now we have Iraq-nam a high tech war. No civilian casulaties are counted, No body bags are met at Dover AFB
We're in this war for reasons as ephemeral as Bay of Tonkin But this time g-d is on our side and W is his spokesman.
What we were told was there isn't there and it looked like oil might have been the ace but no, 'tis a Christain endeavor.
Cecil, you are safe now on that long black wall while humanity waits patiently for the hit you took.
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Reviews of "WAR SUCKS-Cecil A. Broome -Vietnam Wall"
Henry,Cecil was my uncle as well.Lynn was my Dad, and like my sister Beth I know the book "Battles of the Monsoon".We have visited the moving wall and made the charcoal rubbing of his name and some more of dads friends,he too was in vietnam.Thank you for being Uncle Cecil's friend and honoring him with this tribute! Thank you!
Reviewed by beth broome (Reader)
Reviewed on October 28, 2010
Henry, Cecil was my uncle! My dad, lynn, was his baby brother. I know the book your picture came from-my boss bought it for me for my birthday about 10 years ago. How interesting to see this & to be a part of the den! Thankyou for remembering Cecil!
A moving attention getting tribute to Cecil Broome! He lives on in Gods kingdom . I pray he has found peace and rest he justly deserves!.. SADLY,,,,War knows no limits , has no end..M
while humanity waits
patiently for the hit you took.
Powerful ending!. . .and you know what, God will have His, just the same, but only His will be So much MORE!
I commend you for this package you've presented here for your friend and all those who get wriggled into the BS, and then lose their lives over it!
Well done,Henry
Love and Peace~
Kimmy~
Thanks for the photo, sorry for your friend Cecil Broome. We saw the Vietnam Wall Memorial in Washington, DC. Many of my classmates and friends are there. Sad time, sad war, many good lives gone. Proud of all who served, proud of all who serve now.
Be always safe,
Karen
This one grabs the throat, the heart, the testicles, and squeezes h a r d: I'm sorry for your loss...I'm glad, though, YOU made it home: welcome home, soldier, welcome home, and thank you.
I've never had the honor of seeing the Wall; you bring it to painful reality in black granite hard verse: well done.
Questions, unquestioned discoveries, and answers in parable and rhyme…. This collection records a journey starting with a 1960s retrospective and the first man on the moon, moving to a new millennium welcomed in with a terrorist spin, family crises,
David Hightower’s lyrically expansive meditation on the whims of fate and the unpredictability of the human condition fill the pages of THE HANGING MAN DREAMS with thrilling music and mesmerizing imagery. Hightower’s richly infused voice echoes the e
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patiently for the hit you took.
Powerful ending!. . .and you know what, God will have His, just the same, but only His will be So much MORE!
I commend you for this package you've presented here for your friend and all those who get wriggled into the BS, and then lose their lives over it!
Well done,Henry
Love and Peace~
Kimmy~
May The Blessing Of God Be With You!!
Love Tinka
a goddammed thing.
Very sadly, I believe you're correct, Henry, and may your friend, and all those very many valiant others who fall, rest in peace.
They Sell War Planes ,Tanks, Guns,Medical Supplies i.e. Every War Was Fought Over Thing---O I L...
El Bushshit Has Dickhead V P Cheny Sucks Big Time...There Is Price To Pay For Even There Monuments Politicos Build Do Will Crumble...
Tears, TRASK
Be always safe,
Karen
This one grabs the throat, the heart, the testicles, and squeezes h a r d: I'm sorry for your loss...I'm glad, though, YOU made it home: welcome home, soldier, welcome home, and thank you.
I've never had the honor of seeing the Wall; you bring it to painful reality in black granite hard verse: well done.
(((HUGS))) and love, Karla. *tears*