Harold Dooley, a Vietnam Veteran from Harrisburg, NC, places his hand on the name of Frank Tafoya on the Moving Wall, the traveling half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Dooley was a Sgt. Track Commander with the 4th Infantry Division and 10th Armored Calvary, and Tafoya was one of his gunmen. Dooley recalled, "He was 18 years old. He said he joined the Army to see the world." Dooley was in Vietnam from 1966 until he was injured by a land mine on Friday, January 13, 1967; an injury for which he received the Purple Heart. When he came home, the only ones who welcomed him home were family members. On being at the homecoming celebration at the Charlotte Motor Speedway today and being able to find Frank Tafoya's name and place his hand on it, Dooley said, with tears in his eyes, "I feel like I made contact with him."
Wayne Hinson, left, from Salisbury and Tom Collins, right, from Mooresville, share a laugh at the Vietnam Veterans Homecoming Celebration. Hinson and Collins, both Vietnam Veterans who served with the 716th Military Police in Saigon, were only 10 minutes apart during their service, but did not meet until a few years ago at Richard's Coffee Shop in Mooresville, NC. Richard's Coffee Shop hosts veterans from many different wars every Thursday for coffee and camaraderie.
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