Captain Stephen A Childers
Captain Stephen Andrew Childers is my Uncle. I have never met him but I am sure proud to be his niece. Uncle Steve went to The United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point and graduated in 1963. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, or The Wall, and in honor of this the USMA Class of 1963 gathered in Washington, DC to honor their 20 classmates who died in the Vietnam War. What an honor to be with these men, they are truly Officers and Gentleman. I was fascinated to meet people who knew my Uncle. I have never really meet anyone who knew my Uncle besides my dad, aunt, and grandmother. It was a wonderful experience, and probably a once in a lifetime experience, to hear stories and recall memories with these fine men. We gathered at the Army Navy Country Club and took charter buses to The Wall. At the Wall we had a special Ceremony where an Escort (a 1963 graduate) and a family member to the fallen solider came up and were presented with 2 roses - one to lay at The Wall and the other for the family to keep in remembrance of this day. We prayed together, the Colors were presented, Taps was played, and a fellow classmate sang God Bless America. It was a very moving moment when the whole crowd joined in singing God Bless America. Words were shared by a few of the classmates. One shared that the rain was appropriate because it was memorable to the weather they experienced in Vietnam. After the ceremony we all ascended to The Wall to place the roses and pay our respects to our loved ones, classmates, fellow soldiers, and to each of the names on The Wall. The USMA Class of 1963 also invited us to a beautiful Reception back at the Army Navy Country Club. There we meet more people and heard more stories. I was so proud to hear about my uncle - his devotion to God, his love and talent for swimming at West Point, and to see the way these men held my uncle in the highest respects. I feel truly blessed to have been able to attend this event, and especially to be able to attend with my father.
Captain Stephen Andrew Childers is my Uncle. I have never met him but I am sure proud to be his niece. Uncle Steve went to The United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point and graduated in 1963. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, or The Wall, and in honor of this the USMA Class of 1963 gathered in Washington, DC to honor their 20 classmates who died in the Vietnam War. What an honor to be with these men, they are truly Officers and Gentleman. I was fascinated to meet people who knew my Uncle. I have never really meet anyone who knew my Uncle besides my dad, aunt, and grandmother. It was a wonderful experience, and probably a once in a lifetime experience, to hear stories and recall memories with these fine men. We gathered at the Army Navy Country Club and took charter buses to The Wall. At the Wall we had a special Ceremony where an Escort (a 1963 graduate) and a family member to the fallen solider came up and were presented with 2 roses - one to lay at The Wall and the other for the family to keep in remembrance of this day. We prayed together, the Colors were presented, Taps was played, and a fellow classmate sang God Bless America. It was a very moving moment when the whole crowd joined in singing God Bless America. Words were shared by a few of the classmates. One shared that the rain was appropriate because it was memorable to the weather they experienced in Vietnam. After the ceremony we all ascended to The Wall to place the roses and pay our respects to our loved ones, classmates, fellow soldiers, and to each of the names on The Wall. The USMA Class of 1963 also invited us to a beautiful Reception back at the Army Navy Country Club. There we meet more people and heard more stories. I was so proud to hear about my uncle - his devotion to God, his love and talent for swimming at West Point, and to see the way these men held my uncle in the highest respects. I feel truly blessed to have been able to attend this event, and especially to be able to attend with my father.
My Dad with his Escort Bill Little (USMA '63) and his wife Toni. They were just the loveliest people!
My Dad and I before the Ceremony at The Wall.
My sister Carmen came with her family. All of us at The Wall.
The Escorts and family members receiving their roses.
My Dad placing a rose at panel 14E.
My Dad and Bill at The Wall.
Stephen A Childers - Panel 14E, Line 052.
Carmen, Moy, Dallin, and Caleb at The Wall.
At the Reception.
Fellow USMA '63 classmate and Church members - Mr. and Mrs. Don Reid -in town from England.
The USMA '63 Class came from all over the country and a few from overseas for this special event. This licence plate in from Minnesota. I thought it was pretty neat!
I hope that we will all remember this Veterans Day, and all days, just how blessed we are to live in a free land, and just how blessed we are to have men like those from the USMA Class of 1963 who fought in Vietnam and who live still today honoring and remembering, and most of all remember with gratitude those who died paying the price for freedom like my Uncle Steve, the 19 others from the USMA Class of 1963, and the thousands more who still today fight and die. God Bless them and God Bless America!
My Dad and I before the Ceremony at The Wall.My sister Carmen came with her family. All of us at The Wall.
The Escorts and family members receiving their roses.
My Dad placing a rose at panel 14E.
My Dad and Bill at The Wall.
Stephen A Childers - Panel 14E, Line 052.
Carmen, Moy, Dallin, and Caleb at The Wall.
At the Reception.
Fellow USMA '63 classmate and Church members - Mr. and Mrs. Don Reid -in town from England.
The USMA '63 Class came from all over the country and a few from overseas for this special event. This licence plate in from Minnesota. I thought it was pretty neat!
I hope that we will all remember this Veterans Day, and all days, just how blessed we are to live in a free land, and just how blessed we are to have men like those from the USMA Class of 1963 who fought in Vietnam and who live still today honoring and remembering, and most of all remember with gratitude those who died paying the price for freedom like my Uncle Steve, the 19 others from the USMA Class of 1963, and the thousands more who still today fight and die. God Bless them and God Bless America!If you are not able to visit The Wall in person you can visit it online: http://www.virtualwall.org/dc/ChildersSA01a.htm
