Leaders of the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial have announced they’ve achieved 75 percent of the funding for the next project.
Anne Boykin says they hope to complete fundraising in time to build and dedicate the life-sized bronze in time for the 50th anniversary of the first U.S. involvement in 2015.
Good Friday marked 40 years since the last American combat troops left Vietnam.
Additional information is courtesy of the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial website:
Sometimes referred to as the “Helicopter War”, the memorial site will feature an iconic statue titled “Hot LZ”. This life-size bronze replica of a partial Bell H1 “Huey” Helicopter with three soldiers preparing to land on a hot landing zone, will be sculpted by J. Payne Lara, of Navasota.
The Vietnam Memorial, “Hot LZ”, on the Lynn Stuart Pathway will be the largest of the memorials. In keeping with our life size statues, the helicopter portion of the memorial will be life size as well. The helicopter, a Bell H1 “Huey”, will appear to be hovering just above the ground as it offloads three soldiers. As in J. Payne Lara’s usual style, every detail of the uniforms and the body proportions will be thoroughly researched and to scale. This memorial will be visible from Veterans Parkway as you enter the park from Harvey Road (Hwy. 30).
The BVVM board of directors is considering a large granite wall, near the memorial, where individuals or groups can sponsor 10″-12″ bronze medallions of group patches. We are also considering landscaping with some tall grasses that will give the look and feel of the countryside in Vietnam. Every effort is being made to create a fitting and respectful memorial to those who served or gave their lives during a most controversial time in our nation’s history. Because of the nation’s political unrest at the time, these service men and women did not receive a hero’s welcome upon their return. This memorial will be our community’s opportunity to acknowledge their service and provide a special place where they and their families can gather in peace and where future generations can come to learn about the history of this war.
WTAW’s Bill Oliver visits with Anne Boykin.