RFTW group activity was planned for today, and those plans included a Wreath Laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a ride through Arlington, and Lunch at the DC Ramblers following the Wreath Laying. The three of us decided to leave the bike and the trike parked at the motel, though, and just be tourists getting around Washington on the Metro. While we were out in the parking lot, we met a group from Schenectady, NY. I did this shot of some of them and some others who were looking at the trike in the parking lot, and then I did a photo of The Clubhouse Group by their bikes.
I wanted to start the day by going back to The Wall, so we did that. When we returned, I saw Betty who had helped me get the rubbings the day before, so I approached her, thanked her for her kindness and compassion, and got to talk with her for a short time. She remembered me from the day before, and remembered what happened when she turned around on the ladder and looked down at all of us. Betty said that when she turned around on the ladder and looked down she saw all the guys there in black leather. We looked to her like pall bearers with blank looks or stares on our faces, and that's when she started crying.
Since it had been raining the day before when the rubbings were made and the paper got a bit wet, I asked Betty if it would be possible to get a couple more rubbings of Dan's brother's name. She got a ladder, did some more rubbings, I had another photo made of the two of us, and we left. Thank you, Betty!
As we made our way around we stopped at the Iwo Jima Memorial where a plaque explained the event. I was surprised at how big that memorial really is. At some point we walked through part of the Arlington National Cemetery, and then walked to the Women in Military Service for America Memorial where I saw some collages depicting different eras. Many photos were displayed on the wall inside, and this one brought back fond memories of boot camp.
As we continued walking around we ran into some of the guys from the RFTW. I had seen "Little Big Mike" on hs bike on the run, and at some stops, but never did get a chance to talk with him. I said hello to him at this brief stop, and the group he was with continued on their way. As we crossed this bridge, I stopped to do a photo of Mauricio and Julie, and then they did one of me with the Lincoln Memorial in the background.
When we returned to the area where the Lincoln Memorial is located I saw this guy, but didn't get enough information about him to provide it here. Many more people were around the Lincoln Memorial across the street from him, and the Washington Monument was off in the distance. We then headed in that direction.
I'm going to jump ahead at this point since I'm getting impatient and I really want to report the last morning and last day on the road. I'll return to do things chronologically after I finish reporting on the last day.
May 28, 2003 Sweet Springs, MO, to Home
As I got closer to Kansas City I decided I really didn't want to stop there to spend the night last night. While cruising down I-70 I started looking for motel signs and I noticed a really small motel, along with a small restaurant and truck stop out in nowhere. I passed the exit, but felt like I should go back so I continued down the road until I could exit, cross the interstate, and return to what turned out to be Betty's Truck Stop, Restaurant, and Motel about 50 miles from Kansas City. After I got fuel I checked into a room, got a shower, and made some phone calls so Stephanie would know where I stopped.
When I got up this morning I packed up and walked over to the restaurant to get something to eat before I headed out. As I entered the restaurant I noticed it was empty, with the exception of one guy who sat alone at a table. I also noticed he was wearing a "Vietnam Veteran" cap. Initially, I sat down at another table, but I felt a really strong need to go talk to him so I got up, walked across the room, and asked him if I could join him. I introduced myself, learned his name was Clayton Hemmings, and found out he was a truck driver.
Clayton was a very quiet, polite, down-home individual, and, as our conversation continued, I asked him if I could do some photos, take some notes, and write about him in my web site. He indicated I could so I walked back to my room, got my notebook and camera, and returned to the table where I asked a waitress to do a photo of the two of us. As we began talking, we laughed together about some things that were said, but things slowly became more serious. I could tell this was going to be a special conversation, I wanted to remember it, and I wanted to do a tribute to Clayton.
As we continued talking I told him what I had been doing during the past week-and-a-half on the Run For The Wall. In time, Clayton slowly started opening up to me a little about himself. Clayton said he was a truck driver before going into the military, and, all together, he has driven a truck for 38 years, "accident free." Clayton went on to tell me he completed basic in Ft Knox, KY, following which he had a 30-day leave and then went to AIT at Ft. Polk, LA. After that, he went to Ft. Louis, WA, and then on to Vietnam.
Clayton served in Vietnam with the 4th & 131st, 196th Infantry, Americal Division, from January 22, 1967, until January 7, 1968. He started off at Kam Ranh Bay and then went to Chu Lai in the mountains for six months. Following that, he went to the mountains of Da Nang for six months. Clayton reported they'd spend 30 days in the jungle, they'd return to the rear for a day, and then they'd head back to the mountains. He carried an M-60 machine gun.
As we talked it became clear Clayton remembered a lot of what happened there, and it appeared he was seeing some of it take place as he continued. At one point he talked about a night on Fire Base 315, and how it was over-run, "killing all them boys." He talked about how he had stayed drug-free all his life, "but they were so plentiful." Clayton talked about a George Jones song that's about The Wall and is called "50,000 Names." When he mentioned that song, he quoted the lyrics from memory and cried. Clayton also mentioned a poem he had written while in Vietnam and said he'd send a copy to me. Clayton said that, out of all the boys in his family, "Thank God, I was the only one who had to go to war."
I dont know how often Clayton talks to people and shares the kinds of things he shared, but I felt privileged to hear what he had to say. Clayton told me about his family and how his mother always found time for her 17 children; 8 boys and 9 girls, even though she also worked very hard all her life. Clayton said she'd work in his Daddy's saw mill, even while she was pregnant, and she also made them walk two miles both ways to attend Sunday School and Church at the Yankeetown General Baptist Church.in Yankeetown, Indiana. He also added, though, she always walked with them to church.
It was clear Clayton's family didn't have much materially, and, at one point he stated, "We was poor....God, we was poor...but we was rich in love." He also stated, "We was fortunate....we were all healthy, and we was all born at home." He mentioned one sister who went to get her birth certificate, all along thinking her birthday was November 19, 1952, but she found out it was actually November 15, 1951. Clayton also said that if his family wanted a ball team they just went out, chose up sides, and they had their own ball team.
Clayton mentioned his family lived in the winter time on what his mother canned during the summer. He also said his father owned his own saw mill, but couldn't afford to hire help, "but he didn't need any 'cause he had all of us." Clayton started working in the saw mill when he was 10 or 11 years old, adding that "If you couldn't do anything else, you could carry the gas and oil to the woods for the chain saw."
I'm not sure how we got into some of the things we talked about, but, at one point, Clayton mentioned a friend of his who had owned a nightclub that was really good from the business standpoint. On one occasion, though, his friend saw a huge ball of fire coming at him. The experience prompted his friend to close the bar that night. For the past 20 years that friend has been a minister.
As Clayton went on, he talked about liking small truck stops instead of large places, and he mentioned one incident at a truck stop one time when he moved away from a table when a guy wasn't respecting a waitress and said something crude and nasty to her. Not long after making that comment, Clayton indicated he needed to get on the road so he could make it to Salt Lake City by a certain time. He didn't think it was necessary, but I insisted on buying his breakfast.
When we went outside, I did a photo of Clayton beside his truck, one as he drove through the pumps, and the final one as he was getting onto I-70 to head west. The conversation with Clayton was one of the highlights of the trip.
More happened while on the way from Sweet Springs to Great Bend, but I'll put that in later. While on the highway throughout the day I thought a lot about the conversation with Clayton. While thinking of that, I also thought about the sacrifices made by those who had served in other wars, and the main one I started thinking about was my Father. He hasn't ever said much about it, but he was a machine gunner in WWII in North Africa and in Italy, and got a Bronze Star for his action in one incident. I decided to stop at my parents' house, have them get his Bronze Star out, and do some photos of them to include in this report to wrap it up. I did one of my Father with the Bronze Star, and then did one of them together holding it. It's hard to believe, but they've been married now for 58 years. Before I left to do the last few miles to the house, I did one more photo of them together with the BugWing. When I pulled in, Stephanie had this flag flying in the yard............
(To be continued....check back)
For those who want to see the photos before I finish
the narrative and provide the links to them in the
narrative, you can do so by going to http://www.bugwing.com
and then adding a / after .com After the .com
put rftw1.jpg through rftw246.jpg following the /,
keeping in mind I left some photos out here and there
throughout those numbers rftw1.jpg through rftw246.jpg
You'll see the photos I'll be using.
Examples:
http://www.bugwing.com/rftw1.jpg
http://www.bugwing.com/rftw85.jpg
http://www.bugwing.com/rftw86.jpg
http://www.bugwing.com/rftw97.jpg
http://www.bugwing.com/rftw99.jpg
http://www.bugwing.com/rftw102.jpg
http://www.bugwing.com/rftw107.jpg
http://www.bugwing.com/rftw111.jpg
http://www.bugwing.com/rftw208.jpg
And almost everything in between all those numbers and up to rftw246.jpg.......
