Families spend Father's Day at the Vietnam Memorial Wall

A poignant Father's Day at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
By Natalie DiBlasio
USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – Every Father's Day, Mike Cruden comes to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to lay down a red rose in memory of his Marine father.

More than 100 people, including retired general George Casey, the 36th chief of staff of the Army, joined Cruden, 48, of Bayonne, N.J., on Sunday at an annual ceremony to recognize their fallen dads.

"I was 3 when my father died, and my sister was born while my father was in Vietnam, so she never even met him," Cruden said, holding back tears. "I always hated Father's Day. Everyone is buying their dads cards and ties. I never could."

Those at the ceremony quietly laid 2,000 roses along the base of the memorial wall — red roses for those killed in combat, yellow for those missing in action and white for those who have died recently.

"Everyone has a different story about their fathers," Cruden said. "This gives us, the kids, the chance to share stories and support each other. A lot of us are invisible."
read more here