University honors alumni who died for country

By Neil Offen

noffen@heraldsun.com; 419-6646

DURHAM -- With patriotic fervor and a touch of sadness, Duke University paid tribute Friday to alumni who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

The campus Memorial Quad echoed with the mournful strains of "Taps" as the university solemnly honored the former students who died in service to the nation since the end of World War II.

"These names personify duty, honor, courage and service to something larger than themselves," said U.S. Secretary of Veteran Affairs Eric Shinseki, a Duke graduate and former U.S. Army Chief of Staff.

The 54 names -- ranging from Lee Brinson, class of 1955, who died in the Korean War, to Howard Wagoner III, class of 1972, who died in active service -- were inscribed on plaques along the top of a low limestone wall between Duke Chapel and the university's divinity school. Etched on the side of the wall are the words "In Honor of Those From Duke University Who Gave Their Lives in the Service of Their County."

The new plaques joined those that commemorated the more than 200 Duke alumni who died during World War II.

David Dean, Duke class of 1962, knew four of the names on the new plaques.

"Russ Partin, Ray Barnes, John Dalhouse, Richard Nelson. They were my classmates. When I was in the ROTC here, we all went to summer camp together," recalled Dean, one of several hundred people who turned out for the ceremony. They included family members of the fallen, veterans, Duke officials, current ROTC members and others.

"This is very important for me to see this," said Dean, who came down from Richmond, Va., for the ceremony. "It took a long time to do this, but they did it right. This was beautiful, just beautiful."

Ed and Charlotte Walden came in for the ceremony from Knoxville, TN. They were seated among the family members of those who were being memorialized. At the end of the ceremony, along with the other family members, they rose and walked the line of the plaques, placing a single yellow rose beside the name of their loved one.

Their son, Richard Brantley, Jr., class of 1987, died in 1990, while serving on a nuclear submarine.

The couple hadn't been back to the Duke campus since his death, until Friday.

"But we wouldn't have missed this for the world," Charlotte Walden said. "We're so glad they're doing this. Our son loved this campus and this school so much. It means a lot for them to do this"

The tribute, Ed Walden said, was wonderful, but "of course, being back here, it's a little bittersweet."

The Waldens laid their flower down and took a picture, to remind them of something they said they never will forget.