THE WALL VISITS THE VALLEY: “The Wall That Heals,” a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., will be on display Aug. 18 to 21, at Gate 9 at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield.
The Wall, which was unveiled on Veterans Day 1996, has visited more than 400 cities and towns throughout the nation. Inscribed on The Wall are the names of the more than 58,307 men and women who gave their lives or remain missing from the Vietnam War.
The Wall will arrive and be assembled by community volunteers during the afternoon of Aug. 17. The public will be able to view it 24 hours a day starting Aug. 18 at 8 a.m., and several ceremonies and events are planned throughout the four days.
In addition to The Wall, a Mobile Education Center from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund will be available for the public to learn about The Wall and the war.
On Aug. 19, the Vietnamese-American community of Massachusetts will conduct observances to honor and remember both American and South Vietnamese service members.
On Aug. 20 at 11 a.m., a community “Welcome Home” ceremony in honor of Vietnam Veterans will feature several Vietnam Veterans including Medal of Honor recipient Sammy Lee Davis, U.S. Army, and Navy SEAL Preston Hood.
On Aug. 21, a tea with Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts will celebrate women veterans and hear from an Army veteran Martha Green of Pittsfield, who served as a nurse in Vietnam.
Veteran service providers will be on hand to assist veterans with benefits and programs and the Mobile Vet Center from the VA’s Springfield Vet Center will be on the grounds to furnish counseling and to support Veterans and their families.
For more information, including a complete schedule of events visit www.thewallthathealswestspringfield.com.
Following is a list of local veterans whose obituaries appeared in the Gazette between July 22 and Aug. 4. The information given here about their service is what was provided in each obituary.
Mark I. Cohen, Southampton, d. July 14; he enlisted in the Navy and served in both Japan and Morocco.
Russell Field Carpenter, Williamstown, d. July 20; he served two years as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force at Hanscom Field in Bedford.
Bernard “Bun” H. O’Connell, 91, Tallahassee, Florida, formerly Florence, d. July 23; During World War II he served as a sergeant with the 5th Marine Division 13th Marines. He landed on Iwo Jima on D-Day and he witnessed the famous flag raising on Mount Suribachi that has become the iconic symbol of the Marine Corps.
His unit also was first to land at Sasebo, Japan, in the invasion of Japan at the close of the war.
He was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to Assault Troops of the Fifth Amphibious Corps, the Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon, the Navy Occupation Medal and the Bronze Star.
In 2014 he visited the World War II Memorial in Washington with his son Mark and his daughter-in-law Penny and then toured the Marine Corps Museum where they discovered he was in several photographs displayed in the Iwo Jima Section. He was always a proud Marine.
Dwight “Pat” Patrick Warner, 93, Westhampton, d. July 10; he joined the Navy to serve in World War II and was deployed in the South Pacific.
Maureen F. Beattie, 55, Goshen, d. July 25; She served for over four years in the United States Air Force, attaining the rank of sergeant. She received a Medal of Accommodation, the Longevity Award and the National Defense Medal.
John E. “Jack” Shea, Amherst, d. July 30; he served in the U.S. Army for two years.
James Ovide Joseph Joyal, 93, Huntington, d. July 29; A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, Jim served in the Pacific Theater in communications and then the infantry, with Company G, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division in New Guinea, the Philippine Islands and Japan.
He sustained battle wounds in Luzon, P.I., in February 1945 for which he received the Purple Heart. The Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge, Philippine Campaign Ribbon and Victory Medal are among many other service awards prior to his discharge Dec.24, 1945 at the rank of staff sergeant.
He then served 10 years in the Massachusetts Army National Guard, during which he advanced to the rank of 1st Lieutenant.
Alfred “Bud” G. Martinbeault, 87, Northampton, d. July 30; Jan. 30, 1954, Al swore his allegiance to his country, when he was drafted into the military, serving as a member of the company “K”, 1013th ASU. After eight years of service Al came home to Northampton.
Donald L. Langlois, 87, Easthampton, d. Aug. 1; he was a Korean War veteran, serving with the United States Army Medical Corps.
Stacy Haywood Guin, 88, Holyoke, d. Aug. 2; He enlisted in the US Army during the war effort of WWII, and was assigned to the Army Air Corps, 6th Air Service Group as an aircraft airframe technician, received the WWII Victory Medal, and was discharged in 1947.
He extended his military service by enlisting in the USAF and served honorably for a second time in the Korean Conflict where he received the Korean Service Medal w/1 Bronze Star and the UN Service Medal. He remained in the USAF until his retirement on February 20th, 1989 with the rank of Master Sgt.
Veterans Voice appears twice each month. Readers are encouraged to submit announcements, questions, story ideas, military photos with captions and other materials of interest. Send submissions to Veterans Voice, c/o Brenda Nelson, Daily Hampshire Gazette, Box 299, Northampton, MA. 01061; or email bnelson@gazettenet.com.