KIDS MOVED BY WAR MEMORIAL TRAVELING TRIBUTE TO THE DEAD LINKS THEM TO HISTORY.

Byline: Peggy Hager Staff Writer

LANCASTER - For fourth-grader John Barrett, a visit to The Moving Wall Vietnam War memorial was more than just a field trip.

With the help of ex-Marine Pat Murray, the El Dorado School pupil was able to go directly to the name of an uncle who died in Vietnam.

``I didn't know he was on the wall,'' said John, who was named for uncle John D. Barrett, an Army private first class who died in 1970 at age 20.

After spending a month learning about patriotism, John and his classmates were visiting The Moving Wall during its July 17-24 stay at Lancaster City Park.

``We talked about what it was like to be an American and made poems,'' said teacher Lauren Morris. ``It's a little bit out of their time range. ... It's sort of hard for them to grasp because during their time frame there hasn't really been any major wars, but I think for some of them it's really hitting home. Some of the kids got emotional.

Murray, a World War II veteran and volunteer guide, said more than 1,000 students visited the wall when it was in Palmdale in 1999 and expects close to the same number this year.

``The younger ones are quite raucous because they don't understand it yet, they haven't been briefed on it enough but the older ones you can talk to them and make sense of them and they're very quiet and very respectful,'' said Murray, who added that the average age of the men named on the wall is 19.

While waiting for the students to board the school bus for the return trip, Murray put her Marine experience to work and had the chattering youngsters count themselves off. Even an adult accompanying them joined in, chiming ``23'' when Murray asked who she was.

Eight-year-old Jasmin Harper was impressed by the wall.

``I didn't know it was going to have that many names on it,'' she said.

Tyler Mead, 9, believes the moving memorial is good for those who visit it.

``It encourages them to have friendship,'' Mead said.

Murray fears the visit's impact may not last.

``They'll take the name home and show it to their parents or whoever their guardians are and unless the guardian also comes and sees the wall, I think it could be something that's lost forever,'' worried Murray. ``So many of these kids don't know anything about war, and they don't understand this war on terror now. It's something that's going on on the East Coast, and they can't understand it because here we are on the West Coast.''

More than 250 feet long and, at its highest, five feet tall - half the size of the Washington wall - the Moving Wall bears 58,226 names. Created by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the wall will be on display at the north end of Lancaster City Park through July 24.

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Marine Corps veteran Pat Murray tells El Dorado fourth-graders the history behind the names on The Moving Wall.

(2 -- color) Tyler Mead, 9, takes a rubbing of a name Thursday from The Moving Wall, a traveling version of the Vietnam memorial.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer