The first time I saw the Vietnam Memorial was in Washington D.C.  I had a break in morning meetings and made a quick trip over to the site. I was overwhelmed by the 58,000 names. While I had concern for all those who served, I wondered about their parents and their families.

I related that point all the more while preparing an SVI feature story for the memorial, “The Wall That Heals. The story featured the Dale Johnson of Star Valley. “In the spring of 1968, Dale William Johnson left his home in Star Valley and headed to boot camp. The war in Vietnam was underway and the 19-year-old, son of Dale “Bob” and Helen Walker Johnson had been drafted. He left behind the family farm in Auburn where he had worked through the changing seasons with siblings Connie, Steve, Ballard and Arthur. He didn’t return home. Dale Johnson was one of 58,220 service veterans that gave their life in the Vietnam War.”

RELATED: REMEMBERING DALE WILLIAM JOHNSON AT THE WALL THAT HEALS – 

RELATED: TO REVERANCE OUR FALLEN HEROES – 

This past week as Star Valley hosted the Wall,  I learned of many others who had family members who did not return. My heart grew heavy and felt the honor to take time to remember them during the my visits to the Wall.

I missed one name in my visits. A family name. My granddaughter caught me near the end of the week and asked if I had seen the “Dockstader on the Wall?” I had not, so with her directions my wife, Kim and I got up early Sunday and found “Randell L Dockstader.” My wife pulled out the family information and tracked him down as a third cousin from Cedar City, Utah. I don’t know this 20-year-old’s story, but I’ll learn with time. He, like so many others, didn’t come home to his family. I acknowledge his service, as I do all who served, as well as the sacrifice of their families.