Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Plaza

The Vietnam War

ariela — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:36:35 +0000

The Vietnam War stemmed from America’s efforts to contain the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. By 1954, the end of French colonial rule left Vietnam divided into a communist North and pro-West South.

For the next several years, the United States supported South Vietnam with military advisors and then, by the mid-1960s, with ground troops. Young American men, many of them draftees, were deployed on year-long tours of duty in a protracted and increasingly bloody guerrilla war. By 1969, more than 550,000 Americans were serving in Southeast Asia.

As the fighting escalated, and casualties mounted, opposition to the war grew. Concerns about the fairness of the draft intensified, bringing about reforms, including a draft lottery.

Vowing “peace with honor,” President Richard M. Nixon began U.S. troop withdrawals but also widened the conflict with campaigns into Cambodia and Laos. Peace talks started in 1969 finally ended by 1973. American forces left and prisoners of war were repatriated. Two years later, the South fell to the communists.

By war’s end, 2.9 million Americans had served in the Vietnam theatre of operations. More than 58,000 were killed; some 300,000 had been wounded. The Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award for valor, was awarded to 246 soldiers who had served in Southeast Asia; 154 received this honor posthumously. An estimated three million Vietnamese across both sides perished during the conflict.

Walk of Honor Names (Abbate through Brandes)

ariela — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:35:37 +0000

U.S military personnel from New York City who died as a result of their service in Vietnam, 1957 through 1975, including Missing In Action, Prisoners of War, and those Killed In Action. Listed alphabetically by name, as of November 1997:

ABBATE, ROSARIO RUSSEL
ABDULLAH, GHALIB AHMED
ABREU-BATISTA, MIGUEL A JR.
ABRUZESE, ANTHONY JOSEPH
ACEVEDO, HECTOR SANTOS
ACEVEDO, ROBERTO
ACKWOOD, WALTER JAMES
ADAMO, RICHARD CHARLES
ADAMS, WILLIAM JR.
ADDISON, RICHARD EDWARD JR.
ADIUTORI, RICHARD
AGARD, ROWLAND NATHANIEL
AGAZZI, DAVID MICHAEL
AIKEN, LARRY DELARNARD
AIKEN, LEROY BENJAMIN
ALBERT, SERGIO EDITH
ALEXANDER, WOODROW
ALFEROFF, IVAN
ALFONSO, RONALD JOSEPH
ALICEA, DAVID
ALICEA, ISRAEL
ALICEA, MANUEL JR.
ALICEA, ROBERT
ALIVENTO, FRANCIS DOMINICK
ALLEN, EUGENE
ALLSOPP, STEPHEN ALLISON
ALSTON, FRANKLIN JR.
ALSTON, WILLIE EDWARD
ALVAREZ-DELGADO, LUIS F
AMBROSE, GREGORY FRANCIS
AMES, ALEXANDER AUDREY
ANDERSEN, ANDREW CARL
ANDERSON, BOYD WELLINGTON
ANDERSON, DOUGLAS RAY
ANDERSON, ERIC ARNOLD
ANDERSON, HENRY JR.
ANDERSON, LARRY
ANDERSON, MICHAEL PATRICK
ANDERSON, RICHARD ANDREW
ANDERSON, RONALD DAVID
ANDINO, NELSON
ANGRISANI, CHARLES JOSEPH
ANTWINE, RONALD MICHAEL
ARAUJO, ROBERT JOSEPH
ARGENZIO, NESTOR LORENZO
ARMENIO, ROBERT WILLIAM
ARMSTEAD, JAMES DOUGLAS JR.
ARMSTRONG, HAROLD KINGSLEY
ARMSTRONG, ROBERT GEORGE
ARMWOOD, JESSE JAMES
ARNIOTIS, DIMITRIOS G
ARROYO, RAMON JAIME
ARZUAGA, JOAQUIN
ASEP, MICHAEL
ASHER, ALAN
AUGUSTINAS, WALTER PETER
AULETTI, PETER PAUL
AUTORINO, JOSEPH G JR.
AVILES, ALFREDO EDWARDO
AVILES, ANIBAL FELIPE JR.
AVILES, PETERBACO, JOHN
BAILEY, DENNIS MICHAEL
BAILEY, FRED MC
BAINES, TOMMIE
BAJIN, ENVER
BAKER, CHARLES ALFRED
BALDERA, BARTOLOME ALFONSO
BALDWIN, WILLIAM MCKINLEY
BANNA, WILLIAM THOMAS JR.
BARBARIA, LOUIS JOSEPH
BARBIERE, CHARLES LOUIS
BARCA, JOHN JR.
BARCKLOW, LAWRENCE ANTHONY
BARETTI, ALAN GEORGE
BARIGLIO, RICHARD LOUIS
BARISIC, LAWRENCE WILLIAM
BARNES, JAMES WILLIAM JR.
BARNEY, ALEXANDER LORENZO
BARNHILL, JAMES EUGENE
BARON, FRANTZ MARIO
BARONE, COSMO LEONARD
BARRIMOND, ERROL MICHAEL
BARRY, THOMAS R
BARSLOW, KENNETH WILLIAM
BARTOCCI, JOHN EUGENE
BARZAN, JOHN JOSEPH
BATISTA-RODRIGUEZ, JORGE L
BAUER, CHARLES JAMES JR.
BAUER, WILLIAM HENRY
BAXTER, PETER WALTER
BAYES, THOMAS JOSEPH
BEATTIE, ERICK WALTER
BECKMAN, ROBERT CARL
BEDWELL, WAYNE JOSEPH
BEEK, ERWIN
BELASCO, CHARLES THEODORE
BELLACH, LOUIS WILLIAM JR.
BELLEMARE, ANDRE REMI
BELLINGER, RONALD LEE
BELLWOOD, RICHARD ROY
BENBOW, EVANS JR.
BERDY, MICHAEL EDWARD
BERLANGA, RAFAEL ANGEL
BERMUDEZ, JOSE DAVID JR.
BERNARD-ROBLES, ANTONIO RA
BERNHARDT, WAYNE WILLIAM
BERNSTEIN, ALAN MARTIN
BERNSTEIN, JACK
BERRIOS, MICHAEL
BERTHEL, JOHN JOSEPH
BEST, CHARLES HYMAN
BEST, OLIVER ADRIAN JR.
BEST, THOMAS EMANUEL
BESTMANN, CHARLES EDWARD
BETANCOURT, JAMES
BETHEA, RAYMOND LEWIS
BEVERLY, FRANCIS M
BEY, NELSON
BIENKOWSKI, WALTER JOSEPH
BILLINGS, JAMES ARTHUR JR.
BILOTTA, RICHARD GALE
BIRENBAUM, BERNARD
BITEL, BEN STANLEY
BIVENS, HERNDON ARRINGTON
BLACKMON, JAMES ARTHUR
BLAIR, ALAN LEE
BLANDING, HENRY ARTHUR
BLUE, JONATHAN JR.
BOATWRIGHT, TOMMY LEE
BONAPART, PAUL
BONEY, BERNARD
BOONE, ROBERT EDWARD
BORDEN, CHARLES E
BOSCH, JOHN ARTHUR
BOSTON, RONALD
BOUTTRY, CHARLES EDWARD
BOWEN, DONALD
BOWERS, STEVEN WAYNE
BOZIER, WILLIE JR.
BRADLEY, JAMES JEROME
BRADY, THOMAS RICHARD
BRAITHWAITE, ARNIM N
BRANCH, JAMES
BRANDES, KENNETH NEIL

Click here to see the 11 other Walk of Honor plaques listing the of names of the other service men and women who gave their life for our freedom.

Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Plaza presents Arnold Fisher with 2009 Honoree of the Year Award

ariela — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:33:02 +0000

The Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Plaza are pleased to introduce Mr. Arnold L. Fisher as our 2009 Honoree of the Year. As a member of one of America’s philanthropic and patriotic families who direct more of their charitable work to the men and woman of the United States Military, Mr. Fisher has overseen numerous charitable projects. Most of his dedicated work was through The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. Most recently, after recognizing the need to provide specialized rehabilitation services to veterans who are traumatic amputee and burn patients, he became the driving force behind private donations to build the Center for the Intrepid. Mr. Fisher has also been hard at work creating a state-of-the-art Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Diagnostic Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Arnold Fisher entered the United States Army in 1953 and served 18 months in Korea.

Upon his separation from the Military, he began a career in construction. Mr. Fisher led the construction division of Fisher Brothers for four decades. A hands on leader, Mr. Fisher is personally responsible for the building of over six million square feet of Class A commercial office space in Midtown Manhattan. His accomplishments in this area have established him as one of the most respected builders in the nation.

The Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Plaza are privileged to commemorate Arnold L. Fisher’s philanthropic efforts, and his unwavering commitment to veterans and their families. In recognition of his continued support and service, we are honored to present Arnold Fisher with our 2009 Honoree of the Year Award.

The Phelps Award

Jason — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:32:38 +0000

The Phelps Award was designed by artist John Phelps, a Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam War. In 2003, John Phelps began working with the Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Plaza on this award, resulting in the creation of a scuplted replica of a Vietnam era battle helmet. The battle helmet is mounted on a handcrafted, green glass-block, inscribed with excerpts from the “letters home” also engraved on the New York City Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

The Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Plaza named their Honoree of the Year Award to recognize the service of John Phelps, and his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Chance Russell Phelps. Chance was killed in action while conducting combat operations west of Baghdad on April 9th, 2004. He was 19 years old.

Past recipients have included developer Donald Trump, New York City Mayors Edward Koch and Rudolph Giuliani, Dr. David Bronner, chairman of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, and philanthropist Arnold Fisher.

NYC Police Commissioner Ray Kelly selected as the 2010 FVVP Honoree of the Year

ariela — Thu, 06 May 2010 06:30:52 +0000

It has been the tradition of the Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Plaza to recognize New Yorkers who, through their positive actions, contribute to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza and honor Vietnam veterans and the veterans’ community in general. No one epitomizes this more than Ray Kelly. The son of working class parents, born, raised and educated in New York City. Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in 1963 and served with the 2nd Battalion 1st Marines in Vietnam as a First Lieutenant, his life’s achievements set him apart from the mass, and place him in the select company of other Vietnam veterans.

Raymond W. Kelly was appointed Police Commissioner of the City of New York in January 2002 by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, making Commissioner Kelly the first person to hold the post for a second, separate tenure. He also served as Police Commissioner under Mayor David N. Dinkins from 1992-1994.

In 2002, Commissioner Kelly created the first counterterrorism bureau of any municipal police department in the country and he established a new global intelligence program. Despite the dedication of extensive resources to these activities, the NYPD has driven crime down by nearly 40% from 2001 levels. Commissioner Kelly also established a Real Time Crime Center, a state-of-the-art facility that uses data mining to search millions of computer records and put investigative leads into the hands of detectives in the field.

Commissioner Kelly was formerly Senior Managing Director of Global Corporate Security at Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. Before that, he served as Commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service, where he managed the agency’s 20,000 employees and $20 billion in annual revenue. For his accomplishments at Customs, Commissioner Kelly was awarded the Alexander Hamilton Medal for Exceptional Service. From 1996-98, Commissioner Kelly was Under Secretary for Enforcement at the U.S. Treasury Department. There, he supervised the Department’s enforcement bureaus including the U.S. Customs Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

In addition, Mr. Kelly served on the executive committee and was elected Vice President for the Americas of Interpol, the international police organization, from 1996-2000. In 1994, he was appointed to serve as Director of the International Police Monitors in Haiti, a U.S. led force responsible for ending human rights abuses and establishing an interim police force there. For this service, Commissioner Kelly was awarded the Exceptionally Meritorious Service Commendation by the President of the United States.

A 40-year veteran of the NYPD, Commissioner Kelly served in 25 different commands before being named Police Commissioner. He was appointed to the New York City Police Department in 1963. Shortly thereafter he accepted a commission to the United States Marine Corps Officer Program. He served on active military duty for three years including a combat tour in Vietnam. He returned to the Police Department in 1966 and entered the New York City Police Academy, graduating with the highest combined average for academics, physical achievement and marksmanship. He was also a member of the inaugural class of the New York City Police Cadet Corps for three years while a student at Manhattan College.

Commissioner Kelly holds a BBA from Manhattan College, a JD from St. John’s University School of Law, an LLM from New York University Graduate School of Law and an MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He has been awarded honorary degrees from the Catholic University of America, Manhattan College, St. John’s University, the State University of New York, the College of St. Rose, Iona College, Marist College, New York University, Pace University, Quinnipiac University, and St. Thomas Aquinas College.

In September 2006, Commissioner Kelly was awarded France’s highest decoration, the Legion D’Honneur, by then French Minister of the Interior Nicholas Sarkozy.

Commissioner Kelly retired as a Colonel from the Marine Corps Reserves after 30 years of service.

The Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Plaza are privileged to commemorate Raymond W. Kelly for his commitment to veterans and the great City of New York. In recognition of his support we are honored to present Mr. Kelly with our 2010 Honoree of the Year Award.

Walk of Honor Names (Branes through Coleman,L)

Jason — Wed, 05 May 2010 15:25:30 +0000

U.S military personnel from New York City who died as a result of their service in Vietnam, 1957 through 1975, including Missing In Action, Prisoners of War, and those Killed In Action. Listed alphabetically by name, as of November 1997:

BRANES, EDUARDO PAUL
BRASILE, TERRENCE CARMINE
BRASWELL, JAMES PORTER JR.
BRATHWAITE, ROGER CLAYTON
BRAVIN, JOSEPH SIMON
BRAY, BERNARD
BRAYE, LLOYD HERBERT
BRENNAN, JAMES JOHN
BRENNAN, TIMOTHY FRANCIS
BREUER, DONALD CHARLES
BRIALES, MIGUEL EUGENIO
BRICKHOUSE, EMANUEL KRIS
BRIDGE, WILLIAM DAVID
BRITO, ALFONSO ANTONIO
BROGDON, MARGIE
BROPHY, JAMES JOHN
BROWN, DONALD CALVIN
BROWN, EDWARD LEE
BROWN, GEORGE ALLEN
BROWN, GEORGE WASHINGTON
BROWN, JAMES ARTHUR
BROWN, JAMES AZALOU JR.
BROWN, JOHN THOMAS
BROWN, KARL EUGENE
BROWN, ROBERT IRWIN
BROWN, ROGER
BROWN, RONALD LEWIS
BROWN, STEVEN MERLE
BROWN, THOMAS
BROWNE, EARL FREDERICK
BROWNE, GORDON FRANCIS
BROWNFELD, PHILIP
BRUNELLE, JOSEPH EMILE
BRUSTMAN, DOUGLAS JOHN
BRYAN, LIONEL JOHN JR.
BRYANT, PELLUM JR.
BUCHANAN, BENJAMIN JOHN
BUCKLEY, THOMAS EDWARD
BULLOCK, DAN
BUONO, MATTHEW JOSEPH
BURGESS, ALEX LEROY
BURGESS, DAVID ROY
BURGOS, JUAN R
BURKE, WALTER FRANCIS
BURKE, WALTER LAVERTE
BURKHARDT, WILLIAM JAMES
BURNEY, ELMO JR.
BURNS, ERNEST DOOM
BURNS, JAMES T
BURRIS, BERNES EDWARD
BURT, WILLIAM ROBERT JR.
BURTON, CHRISTOPHER LEONAR
BUSCEMI, ANTHONY PETER
BUSCHMANN, JOHN RICHARD
BUTCHER, REUBEN
BUTLER, JAMES CLIFFORD JR.
BUTLER, TERRENCE EDWIN
BUTLER, THOMAS J JR.
BUTTS, ROY JOHN
BYNOE, MIGUEL ANTONIO

CABALLERO, HENRY JOHN
CACCIOLA, DOMENICO
CACERES, ADALBERTO
CAINES, FREDERICK ALFRED
CALAMIA, JACK
CALHOUN, STEVEN BRIAN
CALLANDER, CECIL EUCLED
CALLIHAN, BLAINE EDWARD
CALLWOOD, GLADSTON
CAMBRELEN, JAIME
CAMERLENGO, JOSEPH VINCENT
CAMPANIELLO, ANTHONY VICTO
CAMPBELL, THOMAS FRANCIS
CAMPESTRE, ALBERT JOHN
CANADY, ROY BILLY
CANNATA, GEORGE ANTHONY JR.
CANNIZZARO, VINCENT JUNIOR
CANNON, SHAWN GLEN
CAPERS, LEE MARVIN
CAPOZZI, ANTHONY LOUIS
CAPRIGLIONE, ANTHONY
CAPUTO, JAMES WILLIAM
CARABALLO, HECTOR LUIS
CARABBA, RICHARD ALOYSIUS
CARACCILO, ANTHONY JOSEPH JR.
CARAVELLO, VINCENT JAMES
CARBAJAL-AZMITIA, RENE
CARDONA, GABRIEL JR.
CAREW, FARRELL RICHARD
CAREY, WILLIAM JAMES
CARLISI, IGNATIUS
CARLO, GILBERT
CARLSON, FREDERICK JOSEPH
CARLUCCI, ANTHONY JACK
CARMODY, JAN ARTHUR
CARMODY, ROBERT J
CARNEY, WALTER JOHN
CARR, LEN E
CARRUTH, DAVE SCOTT JR.
CARSON, BRADLEY JAMES
CARVAJAL, FRANCISCO TERONI
CARVALLO, CESAR EDUARDO
CASEY, FRANCIS JOSEPH
CASIANO, JUAN
CASILLA-VAZQUEZ, MANUEL JR.
CASSANO, RICHARD ANTHONY
CASSIDY, DONALD THOMAS
CASTAGNA, JOSEPH PHILIP
CASTELLANOS, JUAN CARLOS
CASTILLO-LIMA, BENJAMIN
CATANZARITI, RONNIE S
CAUGHMAN, MC KINLEY JR.
CAVALARATOS, GEORGE ANASTA
CAVALLI, ANTHONY FRANK
CAVANAGH, ARTHUR
CELESTE, RAYMOND
CENTENO, HERMINIO GENOVA
CERRANO, LOUIS FRANCIS JR.
CESTARE, JOSEPH ANGELO
CHADEE, NYROON
CHAMBERS-QUIROZ, GEORGE
CHAVEZ, GARY ANTHONY
CHAVIS, HENRY LEWIS
CHERRICK, JAMES WESTON
CHIARELLO, VINCENT AUGUSTU
CHISHOLM, HOWARD
CHISOLM, RONALD
CIBOROWSKI, THOMAS PAUL
CIFELLI, DOMINIC JOSEPH
CLARE, BERNARD ERROYL
CLARK, JAMES MCKENZIE
CLARK, MELVIN E
CLARKE, IRVIN JR.
CLARKE, RITSON LEWIS
CLAYTON, ALFRED PATRICK
CLEELAND, DAVID
CLOKES, ROBERT
COACHMAN, JAMES LEE JR.
COATES, ROBERT EDMUND
CODRINGTON, STEPHAN
COFFEY, EDWARD VINCENT
COFFINO, THOMAS PAUL
COLASUONNO, VINCENT
COLE, PATRICK LERVILLE
COLEMAN, CLARENCE BERNARD
COLEMAN, LEO ALFRED

Click here to see the 11 other Walk of Honor plaques listing the of names of the other service men and women who gave their life for our freedom.

Sp/4 John R. (“Rob”) Riggan

Jason — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:21:27 +0000

Sp/4 John R. (“Rob”) Riggan was assigned to Company D, 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, based at Lai Khe, from September 1968-September 1969. He is the author of Free Fire Zone (W. W. Norton & Company, 1984) and is currently working on two new manuscripts. He and his wife live in Rowe, Massachusetts.

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jason — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:11:20 +0000

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A gifted orator, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader in the fight for civil rights who rose to prominence during the 1960s. He was slain in 1968.

Sgt. Raymond Wahl

Jason — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:09:04 +0000

Sgt. Raymond Wahl served as a radio teletype operator at Chu Lai for Headquarters Battery, Americal Division Artillery, from March 1968-April 1969. He was vice president of an insurance company and living in Glendale, New York, at the time of the Memorial dedication in 1985.

2Lt Marion Lee

Jason — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:08:12 +0000

2Lt Marion Lee (“Sandy”) Kempner, born in 1942 in Galveston, Texas, was a platoon leader with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division, operating in I Corps. He arrived in Vietnam in July 1966. Four months later, on 11 November, Sandy Kempner was killed by shrapnel from a mine explosion near Tien Phu. He was 24 years old.