As November approaches, Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury (RWC), 132 Lancaster Drive, Irvington, prepares to honor its military veterans through the annual Veterans Wall of Honor exhibit, where stories and photographs of those who served will be displayed in the RWC Gallery Hall.
RWC resident Sgt. Larry Hammond is among the featured veterans. His journey from Roanoke to the jungles of Vietnam is both poignant and inspiring.
Born on August 4, 1946, Hammond enlisted in the U.S. Army as a combat engineer and served in Vietnam from 1970-71. During his service, Hammond was stationed near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) where he assessed communication needs for different units while coping with the harsh realities of war. One of his most vivid memories involves the unforgettable sight of B-52 bombers in the distance.
“You could see the explosions with constant flashes of light moving from left to right like in a sweep,” he said. “It was so far away, you really didn’t hear it. But man, you could see it.”
Also memorable was the weather. “Well, there was the monsoon season….
