
Aging California Veterans Honor the Names of the Forgotten Young Who Died in Vietnam
Published on May 28, 2024
Commentary In the early morning on Sunday, May 26, a few handfuls of Vietnam veterans and some family members gathered at the California Vietnam War Memorial in Capitol Park in the state’s capital, Sacramento. The Memorial is located at the far end of the beautifully landscaped 40 acres of Capitol Park filled with trees, shrubs, and flowers from around the world. In an atmosphere of reverent silence and occasional quiet chatter nearby, an aging and diminishing number of Vietnam vets read the names of 5,575 Californians, whose average age at death was 22. So many died so young for the lives and liberties of unknown millions. Their names are inscribed on the granite walls of the Memorial....
