Memorial Day Service at the Vietnam War Memorial Monday – Bring Flowers

The Vietnam War Memorial in Montrose is special and unique. It was built in 1968 during the height of the Vietnam War. In an effort spearheaded by Don Carpenter, a second-generation publisher of the Ledger Newspaper, the community came together to honor the sacrifice of local residents who lost their lives fighting in the Vietnam War. On Friday, June 14, 1968, Flag Day, the Montrose Vietnam War Memorial was dedicated. Brig. Gen. Phillip J. Donovan of the United States Air Force Reserve officiated with the assistance of many military personnel. U.S. Air Force jets flew over the moving service. On that day the names of seven servicemen were on the wall. Sadly, today there are 24 names.

According to the local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA 446) and the office of former Congressman David Drier, it is the very first memorial in the nation dedicated exclusively to soldiers who lost their lives in the Vietnam War. On Monday, May 29 at 8 a.m. we will once again gather at the Vietnam War Memorial in Montrose to remember those local men who lost their lives in service to our country.

We will also be taking a moment on Monday to honor one of our own whom passed away on Wednesday, May 10. Bill Dodson, a World War II military veteran and father of two Vietnam War veterans, tirelessly watched over and cared for the memorial since the 1970s. He came every morning for 35 years to tend to the needs of the memorial. In 2013, Bill asked his friend Ralph Reed to research the men whose names were already on the memorial. When Ralph and Bill began looking for information about the names they were surprised to find the five additional names. Bill isn’t sure why the names were left off the memorial, but said that two of the men had been classified as missing in action and were not declared dead until years after the memorial was built.

Ralph went back to Washington, D.C. to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that is a part of the National Mall to look for the names of the 14 he knew about and then the five names he had recently discovered. The names of the fallen are listed by town, so Ralph easily was able to find and verify the missing names. Thanks to Bill Dodson and Ralph Reed, our Vietnam War Memorial was made complete.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and was first observed on May 30, 1868 when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. What history tells us, though, is a much more poignant story of love and loss covered in flowers. Those who began leaving the flowers on the graves were the women and children that were left behind. What they lovingly did to remember their loved ones also reminded those around them of the sacrifice these men made for our freedom. The tradition of leaving flowers continued year after year in towns all over the country.

I would personally like to invite you to join us this Monday for our annual Memorial Day Service at
8 a.m. and bring flowers in memory of those who gave their lives. Your small act of kindness may seem so simple to you but will bring great comfort to those who remain. Vietnam War Memorial is located at the northwest corner of Ocean View and Honolulu Avenue.

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Upcoming events

Memorial Day service on Monday, May 29 at 8 a.m. at the Vietnam War Memorial at the corner of Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Avenue.

Montrose Arts And Crafts Festival on Saturday, June 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, June 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the 2200, 2300 and 2400 blocks of Honolulu Avenue.

Glendale Police Department open house on Saturday, June 3 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 131 N. Isabel St., Glendale.

June business mixer on Wednesday, June 7 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Wells Fargo Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta.

  melinda clarke