thedrifter
10-11-08, 10:56 AM
Vietnam Wall stirs memories (10/11)
By MIKE JONES
AMERICAN PRESS
Veterans, families and schoolchildren dedicated the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall on Friday at Veterans Memorial Park on the lakefront.
Veterans told their stories and everyone solemnly toured the three-fourths-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Wall in Washington, D.C.
The wall contains the names of some 58,000 American soldiers, sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and airmen who lost their lives in the war.
The display is open to the public throughout the weekend. At 8 p.m. today, Oct. 11, there will be a ceremonial reading of the names of the Louisiana war dead from Vietnam to Iraq.
The closing ceremony will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12. The guest speaker will be retired Air Force Col. Dwight Bertand.
At the Friday ceremony, the Sulphur High School choir sang the national anthem, "Tell My Father" and "God Bless America."
Colors were posted by the McNeese State University ROTC, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and Vietnam Veterans of America.
Veterans and Hixson Funeral Home performed the wreath-laying ceremony.
Terry Courville, Louisiana vice president of Vietnam Veterans of America, gave a "welcome home" address to the gathering.
"Welcome home from a war that had no front lines," he said. "Not since the Civil War was our house so divided."
Bob Dewey, a 1965 Reserve Officer Training Corps graduate of McNeese State University, said he spent 13 months in South Vietnam and that it was an experience he'll never forget.
Dewey said several of his friends from McNeese lost their lives in the conflict. When he returned home, he said, "We knew what it was like to incur the wrath of our nation, and we don't want that to happen again to our men and women who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan."
District Attorney John DeRosier said he spent his time in South Vietnam as a machine gunner in the Marine Corps.
He said veterans of all American wars deserve to be honored, as well as those who served in South Vietnam.
DeRosier said all branches of the armed forces did their job well in the Vietnam War.
He said he remembers what a sight it was seeing the battleship New Jersey firing rounds from its 16-inch guns from offshore — rounds that went over the heads of the Marines and into the jungle to hit the enemy.
"Those of us here in Southwest Louisiana were fairly well treated when we came back. The people of Southwest Louisiana are among the most patriotic in the nation," he said.
DeRosier also paid tribute to the families of those whose loved ones did not make it back from the war.
Other activities included a "Farewell to Warriors" by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 215.
Charles Achane of the VFW, Stitch Guillory of the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office, and Mayor Randy Roach all gave presentations. Marion McDaniel, Miss Armed Forces, represented all the veterans.
Chaplain Allen Weishampel gave the invocation and benediction. Bubba Brasseaux led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Jacob Williams played taps.
John Bridges was the master of ceremonies, and Diane Savoie gave the welcoming address on behalf of Hixson Funeral Home, the wall sponsor.
Ellie
By MIKE JONES
AMERICAN PRESS
Veterans, families and schoolchildren dedicated the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall on Friday at Veterans Memorial Park on the lakefront.
Veterans told their stories and everyone solemnly toured the three-fourths-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Wall in Washington, D.C.
The wall contains the names of some 58,000 American soldiers, sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and airmen who lost their lives in the war.
The display is open to the public throughout the weekend. At 8 p.m. today, Oct. 11, there will be a ceremonial reading of the names of the Louisiana war dead from Vietnam to Iraq.
The closing ceremony will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12. The guest speaker will be retired Air Force Col. Dwight Bertand.
At the Friday ceremony, the Sulphur High School choir sang the national anthem, "Tell My Father" and "God Bless America."
Colors were posted by the McNeese State University ROTC, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and Vietnam Veterans of America.
Veterans and Hixson Funeral Home performed the wreath-laying ceremony.
Terry Courville, Louisiana vice president of Vietnam Veterans of America, gave a "welcome home" address to the gathering.
"Welcome home from a war that had no front lines," he said. "Not since the Civil War was our house so divided."
Bob Dewey, a 1965 Reserve Officer Training Corps graduate of McNeese State University, said he spent 13 months in South Vietnam and that it was an experience he'll never forget.
Dewey said several of his friends from McNeese lost their lives in the conflict. When he returned home, he said, "We knew what it was like to incur the wrath of our nation, and we don't want that to happen again to our men and women who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan."
District Attorney John DeRosier said he spent his time in South Vietnam as a machine gunner in the Marine Corps.
He said veterans of all American wars deserve to be honored, as well as those who served in South Vietnam.
DeRosier said all branches of the armed forces did their job well in the Vietnam War.
He said he remembers what a sight it was seeing the battleship New Jersey firing rounds from its 16-inch guns from offshore — rounds that went over the heads of the Marines and into the jungle to hit the enemy.
"Those of us here in Southwest Louisiana were fairly well treated when we came back. The people of Southwest Louisiana are among the most patriotic in the nation," he said.
DeRosier also paid tribute to the families of those whose loved ones did not make it back from the war.
Other activities included a "Farewell to Warriors" by Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 215.
Charles Achane of the VFW, Stitch Guillory of the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office, and Mayor Randy Roach all gave presentations. Marion McDaniel, Miss Armed Forces, represented all the veterans.
Chaplain Allen Weishampel gave the invocation and benediction. Bubba Brasseaux led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Jacob Williams played taps.
John Bridges was the master of ceremonies, and Diane Savoie gave the welcoming address on behalf of Hixson Funeral Home, the wall sponsor.
Ellie