Oily Substance on Wall Was Vandalism, Not Accident, Police Say

By Michael E. Ruane
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 18, 2007; Page B02

The unidentified substance that was found splashed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial earlier this month was the result of vandalism, the U.S. Park Police said yesterday.

Sgt. Robert Lachance, a Park Police spokesman, said that a detective made the conclusion but that officials would provide no more details because the investigation is continuing.

Lachance said the case would involve a long-term investigation. "It's a terrible crime, and we want to solve it," he said.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, which built the Wall, offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.

The oily substance was first reported to police the evening of Sept. 7, National Park Service officials have said. Yesterday, dark blotches remained along a stone curb at the base of the Wall for much of its length, and at least 14 of its 140 inscribed panels, marked with pieces of blue tape, bore what appeared to be stains from something being splashed on them.

Park Service officials said they did not know what the substance was and at first said it was unclear whether it was the result of vandalism or some kind of accident.

Spokesman Bill Line said maintenance and preservation crews were working to remove the stains and marks but were proceeding cautiously to avoid further damage.

He said the crews were trying to avoid pushing any residue into cracks or grout in the stone. "We're purposefully going to take our time," he said. It could take a week or more to finish cleaning, he said, but officials remain confident they can remove all of the stains.

The black granite Wall, dedicated in 1982, bears the names of more than 58,000 men and women killed or missing in the Vietnam War. It is one of the most visited tourist sites in Washington.

"It's deplorable that someone would vandalize what's really a national shrine," said Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Memorial Fund. "It's an outrage. It's sad."

He said the memorial is open 24 hours a day year-round and has been visited by an estimated 80 million people.

"No organized group would ever be a part of anything like this," he said. "But there are deranged individuals in our society, and I think one has visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial."

Yesterday, Dianne Seals, 60, of Cedarville, Ohio, was visiting the Wall with her husband, Greg, 60, and father, Stuart Chaffe, 87, to make a rubbing of the name of Todd A. Handy, whom she had dated in high school.

"He was sent to Vietnam, and he died over there" at age 20, she said.

"I think it's horrendous that somebody would do that," she said of the vandalism. "I think these men had suffered enough, not only fighting such an unpopular war, but coming back then to people that did not honor them. And then to have this happen as well, I think it's a terrible thing."

Her husband said: "It's uncomprehendible to me to understand how anybody that's a citizen of our country can be so unpatriotic. I just don't understand it."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...091700973.html

Thought so.

Has anyone identified the liquid as yet?

Charlie Montgomery… National Parks & Forestry Service……

Correction on Vietnam Wall Defacement

Patriots and Comrades All:

After several attempts, I was able to contact SGT Booker of the National Park Service (NPS), to check on the facts about the defacement of the Vietnam Wall last weekend. He explained it was a cleaning accident by a Park Ranger and NOT a defacement as was originally reported by the Vietnam Veterans of American (VVA). The NPS is regarding this as an accident instead of an act of vandalism or terrorism.

Our National Commander Patriot Henry Cook III has the direct phone numbers for SGT Booker of the NPS, and can verify these facts with him directly. A copy of this correction is also being sent the VVA for their follow up and verification. My apology for the error, as sometimes it is not always possible to reach the NPS immediately"

so why say this earlier????

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

Thought so.

I was right from the beginning. And am glad that I always stay with my own convictions and senses!

I hope police catch the criminal who did it and punish him/her accordingly.

I don't think there was much doubt about this one.

Originally Posted by Infern0

so why say this earlier????

If it were deliberate vandalism, I'm sure the perpetrator would have used something a little more damaging than "a clear oily liquid". Paint, marker pen, acid, blood, you name it, why run the risk of being caught defacing a National monument with something as innocuous as a clear oil.

Obviously someone somewhere realised that there is no political mileage in the original finding.

Y'know the old ploy, maintain the peoples rage. This is absolutely consistent with current NeoCon policies.

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

I don't think there was much doubt about this one.

Hope not....

Originally Posted by senojekips

If it were deliberate vandalism, I'm sure the perpetrator would have used something a little more damaging than "a clear oily liquid". Paint, marker pen, acid, blood, you name it, why run the risk of being caught defacing a National monument with something as innocuous as a clear oil.

Obviously someone somewhere realised that there is no political mileage in the original finding.

Y'know the old ploy, maintain the peoples rage. This is absolutely consistent with current NeoCon policies.

i gotta say, knowing a view activist types for various causes, if you're going to make a statement, you make it big. animal blood or paint would be at the top of the list....that fact that it's a barely noticeable oil (or polish???) still gives me doubt about whether it's vandalism or not

Originally Posted by senojekips

If it were deliberate vandalism, I'm sure the perpetrator would have used something a little more damaging than "a clear oily liquid". Paint, marker pen, acid, blood, you name it, why run the risk of being caught defacing a National monument with something as innocuous as a clear oil.

Obviously someone somewhere realised that there is no political mileage in the original finding.

Y'know the old ploy, maintain the peoples rage. This is absolutely consistent with current NeoCon policies.

Its an interesting theory and certainly has merit (as pointed out by Infern0 the damage seems to be light and away from any real critical areas) but it suffers from the same problem as P80's incessant "its all the leftist fault" argument in that it isn't backed by any real evidence.

While it certainly could have been done by right wing nutters or left wing nutters it could also have been done by anti-war types, anti-government types, people that don't like black stone or the Memorial Haters Society of South Dakota, the only thing we now know for sure is that it was deliberate.

I am sticking with just let the authorities sort it out.