What rarely gets mentioned, especially in the American Terrorist Media, is that thousands of Canadian citizens also headed south specifically to enlist in the armed forces of the United States, specifically to serve in Vietnam.

How many?

That is anyone's guess. I have done some research, which reveals that no one seems to know definitively. There does seem to be agreement among the Canadian Vietnam veterans themselves that somewhere between 15,000 and 25,000 is a reasonable estimate. ... Regardless, the fact is that thousands of our Canadian neighbors came south to help us and they got little to no recognition for it. I think that should change, and a Gathering of Eagles, the movement to protect the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC from vandalism on March 17 provides that opportunity.

I received an email a few days ago from a Canadian lady, an Air Force veteran who is coming down to DC with an Army veteran specifically "to defend the names of the Canadians on that wall." She noted that there are others who want to attend also. It is my hope that they again come south in large numbers as they did 40 years ago, and I can assure my brother and sister veterans from Canada that they will be well received.

Since I last wrote about A Gathering of Eagles, it has gained incredible strength. It started out as a few emails between veterans who were appalled that the Capitol police were ordered to allow anarchists attending a Jane Fonda headlined anti-war protest in January to vandalize the Capitol. The writers feared that something similar would occur during another planned anti-war protest on March 17 that is forming up right next to the Vietnam Memorial.

Those emails then escalated to postings on veteran or military oriented web sites, and that got things really moving. I heard about it on the www.TogetherWeServed.com website, before it actually got the name Gathering of Eagles, and after writing about it here, got notices from all over the country that like-minded people were getting involved and making plans to be in DC on March 17.

Organizers are concerned that the planned anti-war march on the Pentagon, which is billed as an anniversary celebration of a similar march 40 years ago, includes in its list of participants anti-American and pro-terrorist individuals and organizations, some of whom they fear would have no problem defacing the memorial.

But the numbers who would oppose any such vandalism are growing. In recent days members of the Rolling Thunder motorcycle riders who make an annual pilgrimage to The Wall on Memorial Day have signed on as supporters, as have the Patriot Guard Riders, National Order of the Purple Heart, various POW organizations, and veterans' groups and individuals representing all services from all eras.

In addition, a caravan of Gold Star and Blue Star mothers, representing those who have sons and daughters killed in action while serving our country, or those currently serving, will be making its way across the US to arrive in DC in time for the vigil at The Wall.

Please note that once again I have used the word vigil. I suggested to my brother and sister Marines at TWS that we not portray this as a counter-protest or opposition to the rights of the pro-terrorist marchers, but as a vigil to protect the honor and memories of our fallen brothers and sisters. The official web site for the vigil, also makes that point very strongly.

In fact the website clearly states that the reason for this vigil is "To stand silent guard over our nation's memorials, in honor of our fallen, and in solidarity with our armed forces in harm's way today."