Emotions continued to run high in Star Valley on Wednesday morning, following the Tuesday, July 8 motorcade and aerial escort of The Wall That Heals from Alpine to the football field at Star Valley Middle School. Volunteers and guests in teal shirts gathered to assemble The Wall, reverently anticipating the installation of the three-quarter replica panels that bear the names of their fallen loved ones.
Many of the volunteers were family members and friends of the individuals whose names are etched on the wall in memory and honor of their service and sacrifice to the United States during the Vietnam War, and most of the volunteers were members of the SVHS Braves football team.
While at least a dozen individuals or groups were there to escort a panel of the wall, the Johnson Family and the Storey Family shared their memories and the history of their fallen soldier with SVI Media, in tribute to Robert Lee Storey and Dale William Johnson.
Robert Lee Storey served in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, and at the tender age of 22, was killed in combat. The oldest brother to Charles and Brett, who carried his panel, Robert (or Bobby as they call him) was “doing what he thought was right,” said Brett. With their father serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force, “all of our family has had a military background. [Bobby] believed in it. He wanted to honor his family.”
A talented college football star, Robert wore 22 on his jersey. Members of his family who also play football have chosen to wear 22 in his honor. “He was a fun-loving young man who wanted to do something to help people and was a heck of a nice guy,” Brett said. “He always had a big smile on his face.”
Losing Robert was “toughest on my mother.” Brett explained that notice of a fallen soldier came to homes at that time via Western Union telegram delivered by uniformed military messengers. “I still have the telegram.” When the notice arrived, his mother fainted in his father’s arms, who held her tightly, taking the news with calm courage. “I’m not sure my mother ever recovered, quite frankly, and that’s why this is meaningful to our family and to other families that have gone through that. It’s something that everyone deals with a different way, but it’s pretty sobering when you lose a loved one – especially as unexpected as it was. He was in a war, but you never expect your brother, your son or your father to die. You think they are invincible and they are not. It’s something you remember for the rest of your life.”
When Ballard Johnson and his family learned of The Wall coming to Star Valley, they became very excited to hear that they were invited to carry the panel bearing the name of their fallen brother, Dale.
The family planned ahead in preparation for Wednesday, and though not all of them could “hoist the panel,” said Ballard, they could all be there in honor and respect for Dale. “It was just truly meaningful. Having a hero brother that had served his country, our country, in a war and, unfortunately, gave the ultimate sacrifice and was killed,” is inspiring. “Any time we have a chance to honor our hero brother, we look forward to that.”
A student of Star Valley High School, Dale served in the Army and was reported as fallen in 1968. Though many years have passed, the Johnsons are always mindful of their fallen brother. “We always need these reminders to help keep him fresh in our minds and hearts. How proud we are of him and the other veterans that serve [this country].
Dale’s brothers Ballard, Steve and Art, as well as Art’s son, Brooks, joined others in carrying his panel from the truck to the wall framework where it was mounted in reverence and gratitude. Their sister, Connie Brown, served as an additional escort along with other extended members of the Johnson family.
“I have been to the wall in Washington D.C.,” said Ballard. “To have this replica so accurate that they even use the same system of what panel to look for and what line certain names are on, is impressive. It was really a cool thing to do the pencil rubbings and all of those things that you get to do in Washington D.C., but it’s right here in Star Valley.”
Ballard expressed gratitude for the hours of work and thoughtful planning invested by the committee members who brought The Wall to Star Valley. “They call it the Wall That Heals for a reason. We feel that it was such a blessing to our family to be, not only reminded of our brother, but reminded of all those who have served to keep us free and to solidify our liberties here in this nation. We are just grateful for the leadership of those people who brought this to our valley and the healing that it gave many veterans and families. It’s truly a blessing, for sure.”
“I was eight years old when [Bobby] died,” said Brett. “I remember him as a hero, and I believe that’s true of all our veterans who have fought. Those who fell and those who came home. I think all of them are heroes, no matter what they did. They volunteered. They went. They stood through it all. Some of them come home. Some of them don’t. These people are heroes. We need to remember them all.”
