A Vietnam War Memorial in Philadelphia has been vandalized repeatedly for the past three weeks.
“It is heartbreaking to see the devastated Vietnam War Memorial at this time. They started out by busting up the wreaths and stealing all the flowers,” KYW 3 Philly Moran said.
Mr. Moran has a brother named Jim Moran, a Vietnam Veteran who died in Panama while defending the United States.
Currently the memorial is closed and not visible from the streets. Plans are in place to expand so motorist will be able to see what’s inside. According to Terry Williamson, President of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial fund, the renovation is going to cost $500,000.
We all have a responsibility for vigilance, not just for Vietnam, but for any other memorials out there. The recent vandalism is an attack on the memorial and the memory of those who served the United States of America during wars.
Memorial History
“Although the United States’ commitment of support to the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) began not long after the French were driven from Vietnam in 1954, the period from August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975 is officially designated as the Vietnam Era. During that period, which began with the launching of US air strikes against North Vietnam after the August, 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incidents, and concluded with the April, 1975 fall of South Vietnam two years after American combat troops had departed, nearly 2.7 million Americans served in Vietnam. More than 58,000 were killed in action, 300,000 wounded and more than 2,400 remain unaccounted for.”
