The high school years of 1964-66 were better years for me because of Paul J. Cochran. He was a very sweet, and kind young man who treated me with kindness and caring when I was alone a lot. We talked and he dreamed making the world a better place for all people. I heard that Paul threw himself on a grenade to save several other people that were with him. If the story is true, it would be the Paul that I remembered wrote the poem. I felt a great sense of loss when I heard that Paul died and wrote the following poem for him: "Etched in Stone" and wish to also dedicate it to all those who were lost over there. I made my first and only trip to the traveling Wall this last Memorial Day to pay tribute to him and all those who died over there. It was a very emotional experience for me and left a copy of the poem with his picture on it at the Wall in Vancouver, Washington. It has left me with awe that I have now discovered that Paul was born on the same day as my oldest son and died the same year that son was born. God bless all those who died over there and may we honor and respect all those who served.

lynda arneson dokken