State Senator Todd Gardenhire said Tuesday that he is seeking photos of local Vietnam War veterans who were killed in action in order to honor the fallen heroes at a new facility which compliments the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. The photos will be part of a multimedia display at the new Education Center at the Wall, which will be built between the existing Wall and the Lincoln Memorial.
The effort is part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. Senator Gardenhire, who represents portions of Hamilton and Bradley Counties, was enlisted to help in the initiative by Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville) who is heading up the effort statewide. The Center has already obtained photos for 596 of the 1,295 Tennesseans whose names are on “The Wall” in Washington.
“These heroes paid the ultimate sacrifice in service for this nation,” said Senator Gardenhire. “We certainly want to find the other 699 heroes from our state so they can be honored by putting a face with the name in this new memorial display.”
Senator Gardenhire is seeking photos of the following:
Chattanooga: Arthur E. Norman, Air Force; Billy J. Bennett, Marine Corps; Bruce E. Armstrong, Army; Carlton Ross, Army; Charles E. Smith, Jr., Army; Charles J. Swint, Army; Clifton Tanksley, Army; Emanuel Jones, Jr., Army; Franklin D. Ratliff, Marine Corps; Fred S. Lea, Marine Corps; George A. Essary, Marine Corps; George W. Martin, Army; Glen H. Kelley, Army; Harold C. Hedden, Jr., Army; Haywood W. Tipsy, Jr., Marine Corps; Homer L. Medley, Army; James F. Watson, Army; James T. Gray, Air Force; Jerry L. Bell, Marine Corps; Jessie J. Garth, Army; Jimmy R. Griffin, Army; John H. Walker, Jr., Marine Corps; John M. Mizelle, Army; John R. Prince, Army; Johnnie L. Vaught, Jr., Marine Corps; Manuel A. Hicks, Jr., Army; Randall L. Hixson, Army; Raphnell J. Meroney, Army; Rayfon Lofton, Army; Raymond G. Clark, Army; Robert E. Hamilton, Army; Robert E. Poe, Army; Robert Looney, Army; Robert T. McJunkin, Marine Corps; Ronald L. Wright, Marine Corps; Thomas C. Tucker, Marine Corps; Thomas W. Matthews, Jr., Army; Tomas Tucker, Army; Tommy L. Taylor, Marine Corps; Virgil Kirkland, Jr., Army; Wade L. Broome, Army; Will L. Fowler, Army; William H. Pless, Marine Corps; William L. Pemberton, Marine Corps; Walter W. Nunley, Jr., Army and Willie Shelton, Army.
Daisy: John D. Reynolds, Marine Corps
Hixson: Joseph W. Short, Army and Rondal L. Burns, Army
Soddy: Marvin E. Lively
Collegedale: Ronald L. DeLong, Army
Ooltewah: Billy R. Farrior, Army and Freddie L. Long, Army
Photos can be submitted to Senator Gardenhire’s office at 11 A Legislative Plaza, Nashville, TN 37243, 615.741-6682 (toll free 1-800 449-TENN ext. 16682).
To view the photos that have already been submitted or see if someone you know is among those without a photo, visit The Wall of Faces website at
www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces.