Texas Vietnam Veterans Working to Raise $1 Mil for Monument at State Capitol

AUSTIN, Texas, May 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --More than 500,000 Texans served in the Vietnam War and 3,416 sacrificed their lives there. While the war is history for some, the healing continues for others. The Texas Capitol Vietnam War Monument is about the Honor these veterans deserve, and about the Welcome Home, they never received.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100526/DC10859)

In 2005, the Texas Legislature approved the placement of a monument honoring Texas Vietnam Veterans on the Capitol grounds. Now these veterans need your help to build it. They are asking for $1,300,000 in private funds to build this special monument. No tax money will be used for this monument.

This granite and bronze monument will forever acknowledge the noble sacrifices of the U.S. military men and women, as well as the South Vietnamese military, during the Vietnam War.

Crowning the 14-foot tall monument will be five figures that represent the Dawn Patrol, a military defensive circle. They represent the ethnic and racial diversity of the more than one half million Texans that served during the Vietnam War, both in-country or stationed throughout the world.

The seated figure is a wounded Vietnamese Ranger representing the wounds and punishment that the people of South Vietnam suffered during America's longest war. He is receiving blood, an American's blood, from an African-American medic. The aid being given to the wounded Ranger symbolizes the aid given and US blood shed, to help the South Vietnamese forces and its people.

The radioman is a Native American. He is concentrating on the sky, looking up for help from our helicopters, our lifeline in Vietnam.

The kneeling figure with the scoped rifle is a Hispanic scout/sniper, watching for the enemy and protecting his fellow grunts.

The standing figure is a Caucasian soldier, a ground pounder with the 1,000-yard stare.

Five ethnic groups; the racial diversity of Texas and of the Vietnam War; one team: grunts looking out for each other.

Designed by nationally acclaimed western sculptor Duke Sundt, the monument not only reflects the ethnic diversity of Texas, but also the proud military tradition of Texas war veterans.

So far, $300,000 has been raised, the bulk of that amount coming from the corporate sector. Leading this effort is the Texas Capitol Vietnam War Monument Committee, composed exclusively of Vietnam Veterans, all personally committed to seeing the Monument brought from concept to reality.

Veteran Outreach Committee Chair John Miterko said, "Given that 572,000 Vietnam veterans now reside in Texas, the needed funds amount to only about $2 per veteran. If Texas veterans would show their willingness to support our Monument, others will most assuredly respond in kind. It's now up to each of us to show our interest in the construction of this historic and lasting tribute to the proud military service of Texans in Vietnam."

The Texas Capitol Vietnam War Monument is a non-profit 501(c) 3 project, the federal tax ID number is:  20-3113705. All donations are tax deductible, payable by cash, check, money order or credit card to the Texas Capitol Vietnam War Monument.

To learn more, or to donate by credit card visit our website:

http://www.buildthemonument.org

To donate by check or money order, mail to: 

TCVM

c/o JHL Company

P.O. Box 12275

Austin, TX 78711

You can also e-mail the monument committee at:  [email protected]

SOURCE Texas Capitol Vietnam War Monument

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