Project Homecoming -- a lifelong dedication

Most people may not know the name Tom Seematter, but many have seen his dot drawing of The Three Soldiers -- the bronze statue that is part of Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. -- hanging in a courthouse or school.

Seematter, 74, who served 15 months himself, has dedicated his life to welcoming home Vietnam veterans with Project Homecoming. And part of that project was his picture, which hangs in every courthouse in Missouri, as well as many schools. That includes Southeast Missouri State University's University Center, where Seematter visited Friday, Jan. 27.

In 1990, Project Homecoming was the vision of Seematter and John Harlow, also a Vietnam veteran. The two met and bonded over the effect The Moving Wall -- the mobile Vietnam Veterans Memorial that travels the county -- had on them, according to an article in The Mountain Echo. Knowing Seematter's artistic talent, Harlow encouraged him to draw something that would represent Vietnam veterans. So Seematter drew the Vietnam Memorial statue -- entirely with dots.

It took Seematter more than 80,000 dots to create the picture, which he called a painful labor of love. Seematter said he wept over the picture while drawing it.

Seematter -- who grew up in Wayne County, Missouri -- and Harlow had the idea the drawing would hang in all state buildings, government offices and schools in Missouri. Seematter said he chose to do the project in Missouri because, "We are down-home, country people who love our nation." Seematter said he refused to believe that given the opportunity Missouri wouldn't welcome the heroes home.

The first print that was presented to kick off the placement campaign for Project Homecoming was to Southeast Missouri State University in 1991.

Seematter came to SEMO on Jan. 27 as a way to finish his "bucket list" after learning he has stage 4 cancer. Seematter said he has endured many heart issues and surgeries stemming from his exposure to Agent Orange during his time in Vietnam.

His daughter Terri Miller said she would have taken him anywhere at any time, and had even started to look at expenses to travel cross country with him, but he chose to come back to Cape Girardeau to thank everyone who was part of his story.

Seematter had friends and family come for his last Project Homecoming speech, saying not many get to say "thank you" to those who have helped them.

The Project was about heroes, the veteran said.

"It was never about Vietnam. It was something bigger, something larger. It was about heroes, genuine heroes," Seematter said about Project Homecoming.

A print of Seematter's drawing is hanging on the third floor of the University Center, underneath an American flag and above a plaque honoring the 28 former SEMO students who served and died in Vietnam.

In an article from the 1988-1990 in the Washington Report, former U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson spoke about meeting the two veterans. Emerson wrote that Seematter's eloquent words touched him as well as many others who attended the ceremony.

Seematter was quoted in the article saying, "This picture has stirred the hearts of men and women throughout Missouri. I have seen tears, pride, standing ovations and an outpouring of compassion. I believe that Missouri has the unprecedented opportunity to show that we have the courage, the will and the conscience to take care of some unfinished business."

In 1989, an article in the Southeast Missourian quoted Seematter saying, "The drawing is not only in honor of those who lost their lives but in honor of their surviving family members and friends who ultimately must carry on the burden."

Project Homecoming lasted 12 months and 12 days. Seematter said that when the 12th day came to an end, he knew it was over and the time frame had shut.

"You could no longer address Vietnam. We had new soldiers coming home from different wars and we could not allow another group of soldiers to be rejected," Seematter said Jan. 27 while addressing an audience at Southeast Missouri State University.

Seematter now lives in Branson, Missouri, which he said is the best place for a veteran to retire. They love veterans there, he said.