Monument honors Vietnam vets

By Nathan Pfau, Army Flier Staff WriterNovember 13, 2015

Monument honors Vietnam vets
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT RUCKER, Ala. (Nov. 13, 2015) -- As friends and family members laid roses at the base of a new monument, Fort Rucker and hundreds of veterans remembered those who gave their lives in service nearly half a century ago.

The names of 36 men lost during the Vietnam War adorn the monument erected in Veterans Park where more than 200 veterans gathered to honor those lost, as well as the rest of those who served in the 48th Assault Helicopter Company during a dedication ceremony Nov. 6.

The dedication comes as a hard-fought, well-earned "thank you" to those who served in that conflict, said retired Army Chaplain (Col.) Alvin M. Sonny Moore, guest speaker for the event.

"Those were not the proudest days for our country. There was so much division and strife, and they never properly said 'thank you' to the veterans who fought that war," he said during the ceremony. "You Soldiers fought anyway. You know why a Soldier fights? You fight for each other, and that's why you people are here today -- to remember your brothers."

The 48th AHC was active from Nov. 6, 1965, to Aug. 23, 1972, and participated in 16 campaigns throughout the war, many of which Tom Cole, who was the maintenance officer and executive officer for the unit, remembers vividly.

Cole was involved in Operation Lam Son 719 where 11 of his fellow brothers in arms were killed.

"I was there for all of those guys and this just brings back a lot of really great memories of them," he said. "They're sad memories in some regard, but good memories."

Cole said it was because of the sacrifices of Soldiers, like of those in his unit, that it's important to continue to remember those who came before.

"We can't forget that freedom isn't free and that people paid a price for it," he said. "Just being gone from your family for years at a time can be tough, but those guys and girls made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, and that's something we have to remember."

The day of remembrance comes exactly 50 years to the day of the start of the Vietnam War, which was also the day the 48th AHC landed on the shores of Vietnam.

For George Newton Jr., who was assigned to the maintenance platoon of the 48th AHC, the day was one that was meant for the families to be able to remember loved ones they'd lost.

"I think the most important point is for the family members who have survived those who were lost to see that we still remember their sons or brothers -- that we respect their memory," he said. "We have the opportunity to honor these guys we flew with and who died over there. We really formed a band of brothers in the 48th Assault Helicopter Company."

Retired Col. Bob Bunting, former commander of the 48th AHC, along with his reunion group put on the event and said the dedication was an important way to honor those lost during the conflict.

"This needed to be a special day for those 36 men and their families," he said. "When we came out here and saw these monuments to other units, we said it was time to do this and honor (those who died)."

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