thedrifter
11-12-07, 03:36 PM
Family looks to correct spelling on memorial
The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Nov 12, 2007 10:32:22 EST
HINDSVILLE, Ark. — In 1945, JoVetta Siler named her son Cary, after seeing a Fayetteville movie theater poster featuring Cary Grant. And more than 60 years later, Siler and her family are fighting to have her son remembered as Cary.
Cary Siler died in Vietnam at 22, a sergeant with the 11th Armored Division. He was honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, but his name was misspelled as “Gary.” The Defense Department says it was likely an Army clerical error.
“He gave his life, and they can at least spell his name right,” said Catherine Carlock, Siler’s widow.
Siler’s name is also misspelled on a traveling Vietnam memorial exhibit, as well as on the Arkansas Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Little Rock.
“I’ve actually gotten very frustrated trying to have it changed over the years,” said Lonnie Siler, Cary’s brother. “After just getting shuffled back and forth from one person to the other, I got frustrated and looked for other alternatives.”
J.C. Cummings, the architect of record for the memorial in Washington, estimates that the wall has about 60 errors. The nonprofit that funded the memorial tries to correct them all, Cummings said.
“I don’t think you can expect a collection of human beings to come out with a list of 58,000 names and not have a handful of mistakes,” Cummings said. “It’s an incredibly small number.”
“Gary H. Siler” was read aloud last week, as on the 10th, 15th and 20th anniversaries of the memorial, during a days-long ceremony recognizing the wall’s 25th year.
Rep. John Boozman, R-Ark., read Siler’s name Thursday. The congressman said he wasn’t aware of the misspelling at the time, but that his staff is working to get the error fixed.
The Arkansas Secretary of State’s office says an alteration to the state memorial would be paid for with money from a maintenance fund.
“We just need to receive a request from the family and proof that the name was indeed misspelled,” spokeswoman Natasha Naragon said.
Military officials say Siler’s name can be inscribed properly on the national memorial if the family requests the change and produces a birth certificate.
Ellie
The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Nov 12, 2007 10:32:22 EST
HINDSVILLE, Ark. — In 1945, JoVetta Siler named her son Cary, after seeing a Fayetteville movie theater poster featuring Cary Grant. And more than 60 years later, Siler and her family are fighting to have her son remembered as Cary.
Cary Siler died in Vietnam at 22, a sergeant with the 11th Armored Division. He was honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, but his name was misspelled as “Gary.” The Defense Department says it was likely an Army clerical error.
“He gave his life, and they can at least spell his name right,” said Catherine Carlock, Siler’s widow.
Siler’s name is also misspelled on a traveling Vietnam memorial exhibit, as well as on the Arkansas Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Little Rock.
“I’ve actually gotten very frustrated trying to have it changed over the years,” said Lonnie Siler, Cary’s brother. “After just getting shuffled back and forth from one person to the other, I got frustrated and looked for other alternatives.”
J.C. Cummings, the architect of record for the memorial in Washington, estimates that the wall has about 60 errors. The nonprofit that funded the memorial tries to correct them all, Cummings said.
“I don’t think you can expect a collection of human beings to come out with a list of 58,000 names and not have a handful of mistakes,” Cummings said. “It’s an incredibly small number.”
“Gary H. Siler” was read aloud last week, as on the 10th, 15th and 20th anniversaries of the memorial, during a days-long ceremony recognizing the wall’s 25th year.
Rep. John Boozman, R-Ark., read Siler’s name Thursday. The congressman said he wasn’t aware of the misspelling at the time, but that his staff is working to get the error fixed.
The Arkansas Secretary of State’s office says an alteration to the state memorial would be paid for with money from a maintenance fund.
“We just need to receive a request from the family and proof that the name was indeed misspelled,” spokeswoman Natasha Naragon said.
Military officials say Siler’s name can be inscribed properly on the national memorial if the family requests the change and produces a birth certificate.
Ellie