Showing posts with label New Mexico Veterans Memorial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Mexico Veterans Memorial. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Vandals dishonor Vietnam Veterans memorial

Vietnam Veterans of America New Mexico Chapter needs help to raise funds to fix the damage done to the memorial, but above that, needs help to fix their broken hearts.

Someone decided to do this to their memorial right before Memorial Day. These veterans came home to worse than nothing. They came home to anger, blame, hostility and abandonment. Any other generation of veterans wouldn't have been able to handle that kind of treatment, especially from other older veteran groups not wanting them in "their club."

These veterans, even after the way they were treated, never lost hope in the rest of us. They knew if they let us know how much they were suffering after doing what this nation asked of them, we would care, and we did. It was a long time coming but Vietnam veterans were finally honored for their service and their acts of heroism along with their true devotion to their "brothers" but they managed to stun everyone when they decided to fight for all generations of veterans.

Their actions are pointed to whenever wars are debated and the lesson learned by the American public is not never again blame those we send for who sends them. The Gulf War veterans were treated with respect because of them and yellow ribbons were on doorways across the country. Afghanistan and Iraq veterans are treated with respect because of Vietnam veterans.

There is much still to be done in order to take care of our veterans, all generations of them, but for the Vietnam veterans, an act like this cannot be tolerated. Help them heal by helping them rebuild what cowards tried to destroy.

Vandals dishonor veteran memorial

Kayla Anderson, Eyewitness News 4; Taryn Bianchin, KOB.com

A recently unveiled memorial honoring New Mexico’s Vietnam veterans becomes the latest target of vandals.

The bronze, life sized statue at Veteran's Memorial Park in Albuquerque was unveiled on March 29th, coinciding with the day Governor Richardson declared Vietnam Veteran's Day for New Mexico.

The sculpture is a field cross marking a burial place on the battlefield, where one soldier is grieving for a fallen friend.

Last week, police found the sculpture partly broken and the bronze helmet and gun missing. The vandals also spray painted a large patch of graffiti along the back wall of the Memorial Park.

Police still don't know who may be behind the vandalism.

The statue was paid for by the local chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America. They say they are currently making plans to raise money to fix it.


go here for more
http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S1554918.shtml?cat=504

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Veterans honored on Flag Day in Santa Fe

Veterans honored on Flag Day

Two deceased veterans will be honored at Saturday's Flag Day ceremony in Santa Fe.

The family of the late U.S. Army Sergeant Enrique Valdez of Santa Fe will be presented with a special commemorative flag in recognition of his name finally being placed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. Valdez's name was the only name added to the wall at last month's Memorial Day ceremony.

The widow and daughter of former U.S. Marine Corporal Paul H. Clum will be presented with a Purple Heart Award and other medals that he never received from his service in World War II.

The event begins at 10 a.m. at the New Mexico Veterans Services Memorial Monument, located on the northwest corner of the Bataan Memorial Building at the intersection of Galisteo and Montezuma streets.

The Flag Day ceremony is sponsored by the Santa Fe Chapter of the Military Order of World Wars, the New Mexico National Guard and the New Mexico Department of Veteran Services.

Veteran Services Cabinet Secretary John M. Garcia will deliver the keynote address and present the flag and medals to the two families.

The public is invited to attend the free ceremony. Everyone is encouraged to bring an American flag, church flag, Scout or other service flag for a "pep rally" to honor the American flag and all those who've served their country.
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Local-news-in-brief--June-11--2009