CROSBY — “Bud” Carlson, who spoke Saturday morning at the Memorial Day program at the John Berg Memorial Post #976, Crosby American Legion, mentioned interesting facts from the Vietnam Memorial Wall.

The wall was originally dedicated in 1982 and recognizes those who served in that Southeast Asia war.

The names of more than 50,000 Americans who lost their lives or remain missing are inscribed on the polished black granite wall arranged to form a “V.”

A Vietnam War veteran who served with the Army combat engineers, Carlson said there are now 58,267 names on the wall, including those that were added in 2010.

He said, “The names area arranged in the order they were taken from us by date and within each date the names alphabetized.”

Carlson mentioned the following facts about the names on the wall:

• there are three sets of fathers and sons;

• 39,996 were just 22 years old or younger;

• 8,283 were only 19 years old;

• the largest group, 33,103, were 18;

• 12 soldiers were 16;

• one soldier, Dan Bullock, was 15;

• 997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam

• 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam;

• 31 sets of brothers are on the  wall;

• eight women, who nursed the wounded, are listed;

• and 31 sets of parents lost two of their sons.

“For most Americans who read this information will only see the numbers the Vietnam War created.” Carlson said. “To those of us who survived the war and to the families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the pain that these numbers created. We are, until we too pass away haunted by these numbers because they were our friends, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. There are no noble wars, just noble warriors.”

In closing, Carlson read Larry Vaincourt’s poem “Just a Common Soldier,” which was first published in 1987.

The American Legion Post recognized three veterans who have passed away since the 2016 Memorial Day: Bill Kisko, Rolland Dunkle and Donald Comes.

The scheduled events then moved to the Crosby Crossroads Bridge, where Navy veterans Francis Doutt and “Chuck” Lathrop released a wreath into Potato Creek, a tribute to naval heroes.

The last stop was at the Colegrove Cemetery, where a wreath was placed at the grave of Comes, a Korean War veteran, who died recently.

Jim Hauck, a Vietnam War veteran, was officer of the day, commanding the memorial firing squad. Doutt served as president of the day.

Carlson played “Taps” at each of the three sites.

A light lunch was then held at the Legion Post.