Turnout at The Wall That Heals in Franklin over the Independence Day Celebration was inspiring, about 8500 according to Mayor Steve Olson.

Our family attended after church on Sunday. I just had to seek out a specific name. James Neil Tycz. Didn’t know Tycz, but I knew of him.

In the 1960’s as the Vietnam War was raging I was a student at St. Anthony’s Grade School in Milwaukee. When word got out that Tycz was killed in the war the news caused shockwaves at my lifelong St. Anthony’s parish. A deep sorrow crushed everyone.

I believe my mother attended the funeral at St. Anthony’s and said the church was jam packed. People wanting to pay respects were out the church doors. Grief for this young man was overpowering.

No, I didn’t know Tycz. But the memories of the tremendous impact he had on our religious community are unforgettable, even more than 55 years later. So I had to seek out his name. Ninth line from the top.

Thank you Franklin and The Wall That Heals for bringing the display here.

If you’d like to know more about Milwaukee hero James Neil Tycz, read this.