The New Vietnam Veterans Memorial

 
By Bixyl Shuftan

I recently came across a virtual replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Heavens Sunset, and had a chance to talk to a few of the people it. To begin with, years ago there was another in Second Life, built in 2007 by a team led by Evian Argus. But four years later, it was suddenly gone.

The spot I arrived on was a parking lot, with a couple asphalt paths leading to The Wall. In front of it was the American flag and the six Armed Forces flags. There was a statue of two servicemen, a plaque in bronze dedicated to all Vietnam Veterans, a POW memorial, a memorial for American Indian veterans. 

In the grass in front of the memorial were fields of flowers, poppies. There's also a chopper, a riverboat, and several aircraft on display. On the other side of the parking lot was a small church, with a blue star flag and a gold star flag on the wall.  The wall itself was detailed, having the 58,000 names of those US soldiers whom died in Vietnam, in chronological order of their end. I found a couple flowers and a photo which had been placed in front of the names.

After finding out about this memorial, I got in touch with Suta Northman, one of the people behind it, and arranged for a meeting. I would meet up with him and two others in the sim group, Tom Breed and Jamal Nerido. Most of the interview was done in voice, Suta doing the majority of the talking, so I took down notes on real-life pen and paper.

They explained things got started about 12 years ago, the group being all veterans, and had a club on the surface. SmQQkee McCallen, or "Smokey," had been the oldest member, Suta explained, "Jamal and I the oldest now." After some time, the area grew to four sims in size, with a combat area. But after a while, the other three and the combat were closed down. Cycloppers77 Cyberstar was in charge for a time. But he passed away and in November 2019 Suta would take over the leadership of the sim group. There was also the objective of honoring not just Vietnam Veterans, but Desert Storm and the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns as well.

When they heard about Evian's memorial wall suddenly closing, they talked about bringing it back. Once it was built, there was a "promise to keep it going." The black granite wall with the names of the 58,000 dead took about four months for a builder friend to make. It's unknown how long the individual sections took apiece as they were all delivered at once. They never did find out why Evian's memorial suddenly shut down, "One day I went to look for it, and it was gone."

"Outside of DC, this is the only place to see The Wall," they explained. The possible exception is the mobile wall that goes across the country in real life, though the veterans explained it seldom is taken to anyplace but a sizeable city, and of course it's seen only on special occasions.

There had been a road around the memorial level, but it was later taken down, and the fields of poppies put in their place.

At one point, I was passed a notecard, saying that The Wall was more than a memorial, but also an example of the good Second Life can do, that people who couldn't go to the real one in Washington DC could go to this one.

Once I finished the wall a member of SL came to us and wanted to know if she could look for her uncle who was killed back in Viet Nam. we found him after looking. then she asked can she bring her Dad and her Grandmother and of course i said absolutely. come to find out that her grandmother was not in good health and could never go to the the real memorial in DC so she and her dad brought her grand mother here in sl to view her sons name on the wall. this was the best and made it worth my time in making this wall, if nothing else, to bring her grandmother to the wall to see her sons name.

Suta called his group the smallest of the veterans groups, saying they were very select and those claiming to be veterans had to show proof of their time of service, "Too many posers. ... If you see someone with this tag," he gestured towards his "Viet Nam Vets" tag, "He is a Vietnam Veteran."

Tom Breed was part of the squadron that was the last to get the National Defense Ribbon.

Suta described himself as an "Air Force brat" when growing up, the family moving to a new base, then after a few years moving once again. His father served in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive, "I used to watch NBC News with Walter Cronkite ... maybe see my Dad. Also looking for my uncles." He himself enlisted in 1975, at the very tail end, "I got the same treatment as the others." Tom explained back then, veterans were treated very differently from today, saying soldiers coming back from Vietnam did so on civilian flights, and instead of welcomed had trash thrown at them and were spat upon, "Thankfully the attitude has changed."

Suta went on, "If I see a Vietnam vet on the street, I'll go up to him, 'Welcome home brother.' He'll smile, and take my hand and shake it." Jamal told a story about how he saw a Vietnam vet in a restaurant, thanked him. Later Jamal found when he went to pay for his own meal, it already was. "We are a brotherhood," Tom added, "We had the sh*t end of the stick for years."

Of future plans, Suta explained one of the group is a chaplain, and they will have a rededication ceremony once she is available, "She's a doctor and is busy." They will also have ceremonies on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. They also plan to add two smaller memorials the original SL Wall had, The Three Soldiers statue and the Vietnam Women's Memorial, "That's vital to me. ... nurses who serves, taking care of my brothers. I do want to get somehow a statue for them, the Vietnam era nurses that served, taking care of my brothers."

There are other levels in the sim. At the bottom level is the clubhouse for Legacy Vets. Membership isn't limited to US veterans, and the club has numerous patches on the wall of the various divisions they were in, a few from Canada, Mexico, and other places, "We had a ROC (South Korea) veteran, but not sure where his patch is." There are occasional dances with DJs playing music. There's also motorcycle tracks for any MC group members whom want to ride it. Suta says they've been respectful and enjoy riding in the sim, "they really enjoy it." There are three tracks, including a dirt bike track. One of the sim levels is urban, another is a park, "Gazebo with a coco stand, a nice place to come to. ... The only thing that limits us, this is a homestead." So the sim doesn't have the capacity of a full-sized one. ... We have a good time here."

Suta stated it was Tom's idea to get the Bellissera Passport system here with a stamp giver near The Wall, which "got us on the map. ... The sim is open to anyone who wants to come, to reflect, to ride on horseback ... all we ask is for people to be respectful. If you do rezz anything, please pick it back up."

"All these people gave their lives when their country asked. We all fought together as brothers and sisters. Those who complain should keep in mind these people died so they'd have the right to complain. ... Freedom isn't free. ... We are members of one of the largest fraternities in the world. And people don't realize that. At college, I was asked to join a frat, and I told them I was already part of one." He described a quote he heard somewhere that was fitting, "A Veteran is someone that at some point in their life wrote a check made payable to the American people In the amount of 'up to and including my life'."

Suta went on to say while they usually get along well with others, there are occasional issues, "We don't put up with posers, or BS." He described one instance they were with others from another veteran group, and one young man was more than a little mouthy. Suta didn't hesitate to tell him off, "We respect the other groups, but we stand on our own."

"When one dies, we lose a family member." They talked about as time has gone on, Vietnam veterans have become fewer and farther between in number, mentioning how today living veterans of the Second World War are rare, and there aren't many from the Korean War either, "Getting to be that way for Vietnam vets." He himself had taken charge of the group in 2020 only after Cycloppers died that year, calling him like a brother, "If you don't mind my saying so, he was one onery f*cker." They'd playfully insult one another, "but we'd look out after each other."

Suta explained he and several others in the group have also shared email addresses and phone numbers, "We check up on each other, we call each other, make sure we're okay." Despite not having personally met one another, he stated there was a bond of brotherhood between then, "One day we'll meet, maybe not in this lifetime. ... One day, I'll be called by High Command, and then I'll meet my brothers."

Tom and Jamal had to go after a little more than an hour. Suta and I talked for a while, at one point looking over the club. Eventually we both had to go our separate ways. He reminded me like everyone else I was free to drop in at any time at any level of the sim. And of course The Wall, "come to reflect what we stand for."

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Heavens%20Sunset/65/106/953

Bixyl Shuftan
 

The Bob Hope Theater and Flight 93 9/11 Memorial

By Bixyl Shuftan

The Bob Hope Theater has made the news a couple times recently, doing shows in honor of veterans. I recently had a talk with the owner and builder of the place, Paul Woodrunner, who runs it with the help of his partner Morganna1Wulfsong Resident. We met in front of the theater stage, which had it's curtains closed and the seating wasn't placed. "The chairs are not in the theater," Paul explained, "I only put them down before the show."

To younger residents who might not remember, Bob Hope was an entertainer whom performed many acts for American troops for several decades from World War Two to the Gulf War. "Bob Hope brought entertainment to the troops around the world. His shows gave a part of the world back to them. He was a bit of sunshine in their lives, something they never forgot. Troops at war, and there was Hope.  The Medal of Honor Society made an award, the Spirit of Hope, to honor his bravery and courage for so many years."

When I asked how long the theater had been around, Morganna answered, "Oh gosh, well, it traveled to different veterans sims but came back here to stay in what, August?" Paul added he set up the theater at it's current location, "after July 4th. I chose to not go on the road anymore. The Outsiders are about vets and bringing about an awareness of veterans, and sometimes their needs. It is about heroes mainly. The Outsiders are the dance troupe that calls Bob Hope Theater home. We are all about first responders  veterans active duty military. ... so many things I need to do to prepare for this show. It has to be part educational as well as entertaining."

The theater has several events a year, "We try to do six shows a year. We do mostly military or US holidays like Veterans Day, Memorial Day,  9/11 Patriot Day,  we do a welcome home Vietnam vet day show, we do a 4th of July show."

Just behind the theater is a memorial to the fallen at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, "The Ground Zero Memorial is a true tribute to those lost in 9/11." It was a build of the North Tower pool at the September 11 Memorial in New York City, a huge black marble square, with water running down the walls of the inside, going to a smaller square in the center. "I'm most proud of it," he went on to say, "I hope it lasts a long time."

Paul stated he had one other 9/11 Memorial, this one located elsewhere in the sim, the Flight 93 Memorial, also called The Tower of Voices." Tping to the location, we were on a square with an eagle picture in the center with a National Park Service sign, "Flight 93 Memorial," and a trail leading on. "Let us walk the path to the tower," Paul spoke as he and Morganna led me down, the route winding around and taking me to the tower.

In real life, the memorial is still unfinished. But here it is. The Second Life memorial is a 93 foot metal structure with 40 wind chimes. "It is now open but still under lite construction. The tower is a musical instrument, with 40 chimes all different in sound to represent the 40 passengers and crew who died on flight 93. It is a place for honor, this is sacred ground." Morganna told me, "If you have the music down, you can hear the voices coming from the tower, representing all those lost who fought." "When you get closer you will hear it, if your media is on. Photos at sunrise and set are awesome."

Paul also owns and runs the Empire Room, a venue located elsewhere on the sim.

Paul had to leave to take care of some business. Morganna would say, "He really is very modest. I really just think that what Paul has built comes from the heart. He sees something that touches the hearts of people, and he tries to create the same here so that no one is forgotten. When the dance troupe performs at the Bob hope it is with that same spirit, and this really is a fabulous sim overall."

Bob Hope Theater
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Copperhead%20Road/64/124/1528

Flight 93
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Copperhead%20Road/83/9/1995

Bixyl Shuftan

Sacred Ground

By Bixyl Shuftan

Memorial Day is often thought of as the unofficial start of summer, and to some it mainly means a three day weekend with barbecues and maybe a trip to a park for a picnic. But what it really is, it's the holiday in which Americans honor it's military men who perished in service to their country. Veterans Day, which honors all servicemen living and deceased, is several months later on November 11. The day is often observed by people visiting cemeteries, ceremonies and parades. In Second Life, there have been numerous memorials over time to fallen servicemen. In the past, there was the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Currently there are numerous memorials, among the more noted the USS Arizona Memorial. Recently, I stopped by a place that had a number, Sacred Ground in the Urban Style sim.

Dropping by it's main location at Urban Style (23/192/22), one is given a notecard explaining the purpose of the sim.

Welcome to Sacred Ground. A dedicated place to Honor Our Fallen and to keep there Memories Alive. To pay respects to there families. We shall never forget them.

"So why do I build memorials?" Biker Sharkfin stated, "It's simple. It's a great way to teach people what the cost of freedom is. And to show the families of fallen warriors that their families' sacrifices aren't forgotten. The process of researching and building these memorials has provided me with a mission, a tasking, to ensure that the memories of our fallen will always be remembered and talked about, keeping the memories alive."

Beside the entrance was a display showing the fallen of several recent conflicts in which the pictures kept changing. Across the path in front was a part area, Veterans Memorial Park.

"This park is dedicated to the men and women veterans who served our country during war and peace, past, present, and future. Preserving life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness across the world.

Going around, there were a number of paths leading to various memorials.

 The Gulf War in 1991 was America's first major military conflict after Vietnam. It was brief, but casualties did occur. And with the invader still in power, some wondered if we truly won.

 The Iraq War a little over a decade later succeeded in toppling the dictator whom caused the trouble earlier. But while the initial invasion was quick, dealing with his supporters and other terrorists proved long and costly. And the end of the war did not bring peace to the country.

The Afghan War is one that started in 2001 following the 9/11 terrorist attack on New York and Arlington. It continues to this day.

The Vietnam War is something most Second Life residents know from history books and the accounts of those who fought, though it's shadow remained large. Despite the deaths of over 58,000 servicemen, a much larger number than more recent conflicts, the pro-American country we supported collapsed and was taken over by a Communist state, Communists also taking over two neighbors. In contrast to wars past and present, soldiers returning home were often greeted not as heroes but spat upon and branded "baby killers." For those who fought for years in the jungles, often seeing friends die, coming home to a "welcome" like that was not easily forgotten.

A small wall of memorial stones of Vietnam veterans.

Some American servicemen spent years in captivity during the Vietnam War. And some never did come home, their fates unknown.

The Korean War is sometimes called "The Forgotten War" in America as it happened just after WW2, ended in an armistice rather than a total victory, and was soon overshadowed by Vietnam. Over 33,000 Americans would die (the plaque at Sacred round read over 54,000).

World War Two was the planet's greatest conflict. America's entry two years into the fight after it was attacked would eventually mean victory for the Allies and the defeat of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and the Japanese Empire's plans of conquests. But it would take years of fighting and over 400,000 dead.

There was a wall of memorial stones for a number of WW2 veterans.

World War One, or "The Great War" as it was known then, happened a century ago, and the last American veteran of the conflict passed away several years ago, marking it's passing from our living military history. Over 116,000 American servicemen died in the conflict (the memorial here says 126,000), from Influenza as well as enemy bullets. Although the Allies were victorious, it would not be "The War to End All Wars" as was hoped.

Even in world history, the American Civil War stands out with the sheer number of soldiers who took part, and the massive numbers of deaths. It was the largest conflict in the Western world between the Napoleonic Wars and World War One. Union victory would keep the nation together, but resentment in the South would last for generations. Over 600,000 soldiers on both sides would die on the battlefield, and wounds and disease. This in a nation that had a tenth of the population it does today.

There were other memorials around, this one being to Chris Kyle.

In the back of the park was a larger memorial area. There were free flags and a shirt one could pick up.

The place was beautifully done, with a wide fountain area.

There was a track, the "Highway of Heroes" that led upward to several more spots.

There were a few bikers around who were open to me riding up with them, though saw I was interested in looking around the memorials.

Among the places higher up in the sim was the Arlington Memorial Amphitheater.

 Sacred Grounds' Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The honor guard.

The Arlington Cemetery area

Final March

Wheels go around in silence
On the black caison a hero lay
Horse hooves click on cold asphalt
A hero's final march is held today
To their final rest silently they go
A great sacrifice they have made
Amongst other heroes just like them
To their final rest they will be laid
The flag covered coffin is their cover
In honor to this spot they are brought
From a lone bugler along on a knoll
The sound of tays is caught
The march is over as here they lay
In this country's hallowed ground
A blanket of green covers them now
Forever protected from wars erie sound

Tall Mountain Dreamer, December 18, 2009

The Vietnam Memorial Park, right beside the Highway of Heroes.

There were about 4800 photos of soldiers who perished in Vietnam at the memorial. A huge number, but less than a tenth of the total number of American dead.

The WW2 Freedom Wall

Each of the stars represents a hundred American servicemen killed in the global conflict.

The All Wars Memorial

 The memorial gives a brief descriptions of the conflicts we've been in, going back to Colonial times.

 There was a memorial to Captain Jeff Kuss.

One memorial was to the murdered at the World Trade Center on Sept 11, 2001.

There are other places on the sim that I hadn't gone to, such as the Tailhook Club where events are sometimes held.

Since the American Revolution, over 1,300,000 soldiers, sailors, pilots, and other servicemen gave their lives for the country, a number that sadly promises to go up over time.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Urban%20Style/23/192/22

Bixyl Shuftan