My cousin Florian Kuss was a shy North Dakota farm boy. He was an average student, played football and got along with everyone.

Florian most likely would have taken over the family farm after graduating from high school, but it was the late ‘60s and the Vietnam War was escalating. He was drafted the summer of 1966.

I was a sophomore in high school when Florian left for Vietnam, but I remember it like yesterday. We had a big going away party for him on a hilly pasture overlooking Lake Oahe. “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones was number one on the music charts and played throughout the afternoon and evening. It was getting late and I had to head home, so before leaving I shook Florian’s hand, gave him a hug and wished him luck. Everyone was still confident we’d win this war, and I honestly never thought he might not return home.

A few months later, our small community was shocked to learn Florian was dead. He was killed in action shortly after arriving in Vietnam. Two years later, a friend of mine, Tom Kraft, was also killed in Vietnam.

I visited the Vietnam Memorial Wall a few years ago while on a business trip to Washington, D.C. I slowly walked along the wall searching for the names of Florian and Tom. When I found them, I ran my hand over their names, said a prayer and reminisced. I tried my best to hold back the tears, but I couldn’t because this memorial is simply too powerful. Seeing all those names and the suffering they represent overpowers you.

A traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall will be in Safford’s Firth Park March 30 to April 6. Courier reporter Diane Saunders reported that it’s a replica of the memorial in Washington, D.C., and is four-fifths the size of the original. At 370 feet, it’s longer than a football field and is made up of 35 portable panels. At its center, the Traveling Wall is 8 feet tall.

The names of 58,000 Americans who died for us in the Vietnam War are inscribed on the wall. It’s part of an exhibit that includes memorial panels for each war or conflict and a tribute to the victims of 911 and those who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A wall reception will be held March 30 at the Wal-Mart parking lot. Safford Mayor Ron Green, Pima Mayor Tony Goodman and Graham County Supervisor Jim Palmer will speak. After that, the Wall will be taken to Firth Park, where it will be set up for public display 24 hours a day.

We owe our gratitude to Buddy and Charlotte Reynolds for helping bring the wall to Graham County. Thanks also to the cities of Safford, Thatcher and Pima, Graham County and Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. for sponsoring the event.

Please visit the wall. It will help you understand the horrors of war, and it will make you appreciate those who fight for our country.

Last year, I was relaxing on our deck on a beautiful summer evening, chatting with friends and listening to golden oldies music, when “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” started playing.

My mind drifted, and I started to tell our friends about this song and the day my cousin Florian left for Vietnam.

I felt the tears coming, so I excused myself and went into the house. After all these years, it’s still difficult to tell this story.