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By Herb Worthington
It was a sunny morning in September in
Elizabeth, New Jersey, when more than 300 people gathered
to dedicate a memorial to the 29 men who gave their lives
in Vietnam 35 years ago, thus marking the culmination of
a nearly ten-year effort by the members of Eastern New Jersey
Chapter 779.
This monument to honor Elizabeth natives whose
service to their country seemed to have been forgotten has
its origins in a visit by Chapter 779 to Elizabeth. They
came to hold a vigil for POW/MIAs and to honor fallen Vietnam
veterans. To their dismay, chapter members discovered there
was no monument to these men in Elizabeth. Soon after, the
chapter decided to begin a fund-raising campaign to build
an appropriate memorial.
Fund-raising activities lagged until
Mike Guarino, president of the Columbus Association in Elizabeth,
offered to help raise funds and to provide a site for a memorial.
The plan was approved by the mayor, and although the city
could not help financially, the county Freeholders agreed
to donate $5,000 in seed money for the project. This began
a steady flow of capital and an increased awareness on the
part of the citizens.
Sheriff Ralph Froelich involved the
president of a bank in Union, and the bank added $5,000 to
the project’s coffers,
while the police and fire departments raised an additional
$5,500. When we offered to inscribe donors’ names on
the base of the memorial, this brought in even more funds.
An offer to memorialize an individual on a brick brought
in fresh donations. Local businesses got on the bandwagon
by providing free services and materials. Construction began.
On
the morning of September 21, Sheriff Froehlich unveiled the
Elizabeth Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Pipers played, and a
21-gun salute was fired. A bell chimed as each of the 29
names was read aloud, and at the end of the ceremony church
bells rang out all across Elizabeth. The members of Chapter
799 were thrilled by the turnout, which included people from
California, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Connecticut,
Rhode Island, New York, and Pennsylvania, as well as most
of Chapter 779.
When asked why he wanted to be so involved
in the project, Sheriff Froehlich said: “Because it
was the right thing to do.” And so it was. Thanks to
the initiative of Chapter 779, twenty-nine nearly forgotten
soldiers are now remembered and will continue to be remembered
for generations to come.
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2011, Vietnam Veterans of America. All Rights Reserved. 8719 Colesville Road, Suite 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910