KINGWOOD – Approximately 300 people crowded the corner of Main and Price streets Monday to celebrate the dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial by the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 977.
Working in conjunction with the Preston County Commission and through donations from the Preston County community, the memorial a 5-foot-by-8-foot, 4,888-pound granite monument designed by VVA Chapter 977, is a tribute to veterans, deceased military and POWs and includes the service seals to represent all branches of services activated during wartime.
“We’re glad the day is finally here,” Vietnam veteran Jim Savage said. “We’re thankful for the nice weather and the crowd that turned out. We’re just sorry it took this long to do this.”
“It’s been an honor working on this,” Vietnam veteran Bill Benson said about the monument.
Martha Ruby, who came to watch the dedication, agreed.
“I think it’s good doing something to remember the Vietnam veterans,” she said.
Shirley Andrews said she thought the memorial was beautiful.
Larry Blaney, a Vietnam veteran who came to watch the dedication, agreed.
“It’s about time – after all these years,” he said about the monument.
Prior to the dedication Arthurdale resident Lori Rankin sang God Bless the USA. Later in the program she sang the Star Spangled Banner and Names on the Wall.
“It’s truly an honor that the veterans want to put the memorial on the courthouse lawn,” Commissioner Samantha Stone said. “It’s a true remembrance of those who died defending our country and our freedom.”
According to history.com, the Vietnam War lasted from Nov. 1, 1955, to April 30, 1975. Congress considers the Vietnam era to be the period beginning Feb. 28, 1961, and ending May 7, 1975. In March 1965, President Lyndon Johnson launched a three-year campaign of sustained bombing of targets in North Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Operation Rolling Thunder. The same month, U.S. Marines land on beaches near Da Nang, South Vietnam, as the first American combat troops to enter Vietnam.
In 1982 the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C., inscribed with the names of 57,939 members of U.S. armed forces who had died or were missing as a result of the war. Over the following years, additions to the list have brought the total past 58,200.
The establishment of the local memorial was made possible by support of local contributors, such as Field Funeral Home, the Terra Alta-Aurora VFW No. 578, the Tunnelton VFW and others. Donations are being accepted for the cost of construction by mail at VVA Chapter 977, PO Box 803, Masontown, WV 26542. Follow @VVAChapter977 on Facebook for information about meetings.
Names of Vietnam War casualties from West Virginia can be found thttps://virtualwall.org/state/ist atwv.htm.
TWEET @DominionPostWV
