Monroe welcomes home women who served in Vietnam

- Evening News photo by KIM BRENT Betty Cannon (left) and Juanita Shellito applaud Saturday after taking part in the unveiling of a statue and plaque at Heck Park honoring the women who served in the armed forces during the Vietnam War.

Women in Vietnam
by Ray Kisonas , last modified May 10. 2008 10:47PM

During a three-month period in 1965, Juanita Shellito flew to Vietnam seven times to help evacuate dozens of wounded American soldiers."I took care of the men," she said. "Sometimes they wanted me to hold their hand."

On New Year's Day, 1970, Betty Cannon of Erie was flown to Saigon, where she spent six weeks, working 12- to 16-hour days, fixing an underground computer that was responsible for reinforcing the front lines with supplies, including casualty replacements."I made sure the men in the field had food and ammo and anything else they needed," she said. "I went in and did my job. The guys were awesome. They treated me like a queen."

The two were members of the armed services who have gone, for the most part, unrecognized in society. They are women who served in Vietnam and, in Monroe County, they are unrecognized no more.On Saturday under a blue sky, officials and uniformed soldiers saluted the women of Vietnam with their own memorial at Heck Park on N. Dixie Hwy.

The statue of a servicewoman, standing about 5 feet tall and painted bronze, commemorates the 265,500 women who served overseas during the campaign."Everyone who visits this park knows we haven't forgotten," said Don Reed, president of Monroe County Post 142, Vietnam Veterans of America.
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