Tribute from Dave Gurbal

(laid at the Moving Wall)

MEN OF I Company 3rd.batt./5th.marines

TO THE MEN I SERVED WITH,IT WILL BE 33 YEARS ON JULY 22nd & 24TH THAT YOU GAVE YOUR LIVES. I DO NOT THINK MANY OF YOU WOULD THINK IT
WAS IN VAIN! WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLES IN THIS COUNTRY, STILL HAVE A LOT OF HATE, BUT ALL IN ALL THERE IS STILL NO BETTER PLACE ON THIS PLANET. I THINK WHEN IT ALL COMES TO THE FINAL TALLEY , WE WERE RIGHT IN WHAT WE FOUGHT FOR ON THAT HILL IN VIETNAM SO VERY LONG AGO. YOU GUYS GAVE ALL YOU HAD, SOME OF US THAT LIVED HAVE PAID A TERRIBLE PRICE AND ARE STILL PAYING IT EVERY DAY . YOU WILL NEVER BE
FORGOTTEN AS LONG AS I AM STILL ALIVE ! TO THE ONE'S WHO FOLLOWED AND GAVE THEIR ALL ,GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND,

SEMPER FI!

DAVE

Dave wrote the following description of the events that occurred after he placed his tribute at the Moving Wall.

The moving wall was good. many stories traded,many stories told, some for the first
time. As usual there was a big turnout of Marines, and of course the whole deal was
run by marines. It always amazes me that you go to one of these things the Marine
Corps flag always is in the most prominent places. Here it was in the center of the
other service flags, right behind the american flag. Brett Hart(sp) and his band were
there, and they had a very nice service for gold star families. I layed our stuff right
under panel e8, a lot of people stopped and read my letter to the guys and then
would read the names and a lot of them would touch the names.

I was standing there, had on one of my old sgts. shirts with ribbons, this couple
came up and asked me if I could explain the wall and how it worked, I explained to
them that they had computers set up to find names and where they would be on
the panels. They were gone for a while and when they came back they were about
2 panels over, the guy said that's my brother right there, I read the name touched
it and then saluted, then he told me his brother was a medic in the army and he
died by falling on a grenade. You guessed it medal of honor. That will humble you
in a hurry.

Here are four pictures taken at and of the Moving Wall.  They're thumbnailed so click on one to see if full size.

Four pictures from Dave