Thank God for archives !

Thank God for ARCHIVES ! Taking my Twilight walk recently in the Knightsville neighborhood of Cranston a memorial stone in front of the V.F.W.. Post no 4651 near Saint Mary's Catholic Church caught my attention . Two names of young soldiers killed in Vietnam : Daniel R. Nelson and George J. Mack . With Memorial Day near I became curious about the story and the memories behind those names of the two now gone for more than a half a century. Both showed up with faces on " THE WALL OF FACES " . Daniel fell at Quang Tri on 6/23/69 . HOME OF RECORD : COVENTRY. BRANCH OF SERVICE : MARINE CORP . George Jacob Mack . Mack fell at Quang Nam on 5/14/1966. HOME OF RECORD CRANSTON .BRANCH OF SERVICE : MARINE CORPS. I was able to read a few posted memories of both young men. I did reflect that I was around their ages in the mid and late 60s. I read Ron Kovic's book " Born on the Fourth of July ". And never regretted protesting that war nor the equally tragic wars to come. Walking in a nearby cemetery some weeks ago in Johnston my brother Steve had the eerie experience of spotting a gravestone of a mere infant girl with the same birthdate as he August 28, 1954 . He was a still alive 68 years later. The BELOVED little girl never got started in life. On a walk in Saint Ann's Cemetery in Cranston I was struck my another gravestone that warned me : " As I am so you shall be ". A translation from the Latin on an old gravestone in ancient Rome. Does any old archive bring that FACE and SOUL to life ? Ultimately, I think , only God remembers us . HE who said " DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME ". VIDEO NOW: Providence City Council, city Archives unveil monument honoring a local fallen soldier YOUTUBE.COM VIDEO NOW: Providence City Council, city Archives unveil monument honoring a local fallen soldier