Chapter 641: Caretakers of The Wall

BY MICHAEL KEATING

It was back in 1995 or ’96, Silver Spring, Maryland, Chapter 641’s Michael Najarian recalled, that he opened a copy of The Washington Post and spotted a photo of young Marines washing The Wall. “Vietnam veterans should be doing that,” he exclaimed to himself, and then he put the ball in motion.

Najarian called the U.S. Park Service, the custodian of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and said he wanted to wash The Wall. There weren’t any groups that regularly washed The Wall back then, but arrangements were made and early one Saturday morning, Najarian, his friend and fellow Chapter member Art Wong, a park ranger, and a fourth man from another organization met at dawn. It took them about two hours to clean the memorial.

Najarian and Wong reported back to the Chapter on their experience. Those attending that Chapter 641 meeting immediately perceived the action’s power and significance, and committed themselves to the task. Through all the intervening years, during the early morning hours of the first Saturday of each month, spring to fall, Chapter 641 members have cleaned the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

They used to be responsible for the occasional fifth Saturday as well. But the Air Force Sergeants Association, which often joined them at The Wall, jumped at the opportunity to take over that responsibility when it was offered.

The number of men and women who show up varies from month to month. There are some chapter regulars, including Dave Gudes, Bill Gray, Bill Bennett, and associate member Sara Cox. Like Najarian, Bill Gray had heard through word of mouth that others were washing The Wall and thought that that was something he, too, wanted to do. When he joined the Chapter, Dave Gudes told him about the first-Saturday commitment. He’s been showing up ever since. Gudes joined Chapter 641 in 2001. He’s participated in nearly every Wall washing in the intervening eleven years.

Some groups attach themselves for a while or periodically. These include the University of Maryland ROTC and students from Catholic University’s Monuments and Memorials class. Every year Chapter members make presentations to the class on the significance of The Wall to Vietnam veterans.

Army Recruiters for the Military District of Washington sometimes join them. Members of Air Force Security recently helped wield brushes. At the April Board of Directors meeting, VVA Board members and State Council Presidents joined in. The Chapter welcomes everyone, and in fact they have been joined by members of Congress, CEOs, the homeless, and early-morning tourists. Some have heard of the Wall washing and simply show up.

Generally about twenty people take part—regulars, non-member regulars, and a few members of Virginia Chapters 227, 617, and 917. The Park Service provides the buckets and brushes, the soap and the hoses, and Chapter 641 brings its own nozzles. The brushes are soft to avoid scratching the polished granite; the soap is “friendly to the granite” and doesn’t leave residue. The group divides into two teams that begin work at the far ends of the memorial and reunite at the apex.

Each team has a hoseman who first wets The Wall. Soapy brushes never contact the dry surface. Ten panels are washed at a time. After the hoseman sprays them, men and women with brushes carefully wash the granite surface while the hoseman wets the next ten panels. When he falls back to rinse the soapy panels, The Wall looks like it cries. The walkway is scrubbed as well. Ten panels at a time, the two groups make their way to the apex. Some wait patiently for the opportunity to wash a single panel.
Weather is generally irrelevant, although the Park Service can cancel a washing because of severe storms. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial has been washed in the rain, and even during a late snow storm one April.

Generally, the Wall washing is solemn and respectful. But sometimes the combination of youth and water can turn a Boy Scout pilgrimage into a frolic. And for some, it’s just entertainment. It also is about camaraderie in addition to reverence. But to underscore the group’s seriousness of purpose, Chapter 641 Sergeant-at-Arms Rodney Eng developed opening and closing ceremonies. The ceremonies are short and simple—the morning begins with a salute at the flagpole and the Three Servicemen statue, and ends with coming to attention, a salute, and a moment of silence.

Before leaving, the Wall washers face out and salute. Then they turn and face in toward the gleaming granite incised with names. Together, they salute.