PAYING TRIBUTE TO OUR VETERANS
by
Julie Mayle, Associate Curator of Manuscripts
Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums
Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums
My
interest in military veterans was sparked in 2008 while interning in the
Manuscripts
Department at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums. I was given the opportunity to
create a collection comprised of my father’s letters, photographs and other
memorabilia that he had kept from his service in Vietnam with the Marine
Corps. While processing the material, I
discovered a cassette tape that he recorded while stationed in the village of
An Diem Hai, South Vietnam. The
recording took place almost one month after his platoon was overrun with an estimated 150 Viet Cong
soldiers. During the fight, a fellow
Marine, LCpl. Miguel Keith, was mortally wounded while defending the
compound.
LCpl. Miguel Keith became the 53rd Marine to be awarded theCongressional Medal of Honor in Vietnam due to his heroic action on May 8,1970. Hearing my dad’s voice at the age
of 19 and while fighting for his country, served as my inspiration to do
something more. With the help of Nan
Card, Curator of Manuscripts, the Northwest Ohio Veterans’ Oral History Project
was created in 2013 at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums. The purpose of the
project is to collect, preserve, and make accessible the personal recollections
of American war veterans through personal narratives, correspondence and visual
materials. Currently, we have interviewed nearly 40 veterans for the
project.
On a more personal note, I recently had the honor of
participating in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Funds Reading
of the Names at the Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C. The Reading of the Names
took place at The Wall for 65 hours over a four-day period beginning with an
opening ceremony on Tuesday, November 7, 2017.
My reading time slot was scheduled for November 10th at 4:14
p.m. Each participant is given a group
of 30 names to read and among my list was the name of Miguel Keith. My dad rarely spoke of his war experiences
during my childhood, but I know that Miguel’s name and memory are never far
from his thoughts.
To see the video go to this link:
To see the video go to this link:
I arrived early to
deliver a personal memento from my father to Miguel’s spot on The Wall. Somehow, knowing that in a few hours I was
going to read his name aloud, gave that quiet moment special meaning. As dusk began to fall, I took my place among
the readers. I tend to get a little
nervous when speaking in public, but for some reason I was very calm. I just had this overwhelming feeling that
this was something I had to do…because it was the right thing to do.
 |
| LCpl Miguel Keith Medal of Honor Recipient |
It was an experience that I will never forget
and one that I struggle to find the right words to describe. I’m also grateful to my husband and several
family members who made the trip to Washington, D.C. in support of this
experience. Although
there is no tribute that can truly match the magnitude of military service and
sacrifice to this nation, it’s important for every veteran’s experience to be
told. This was my small contribution to keep these names and stories alive.