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The New
Jersey Deputy Fire Chief's Association is proud to sponsor of the October 15th
granite panel on the NEW JERSEY VIETNAM VETERANS‘ MEMORIAL which honors the
two New Jersey solders killed in action during the Vietnam War on this date. In
addition, our association awards two scholarships to a high school student from
each of these solder's high schools.
Deputy Chief
Len Swan (retired) is committee chair.
Sergeant Frank A.
Price III
United States
Army
Corporal William A.
Schulz
United States
Marines Corp
Photos from
the 2007 Memorial Service
New
Jersey Deputy Fire Chiefs Association
Viet
Nam Memorial Service
October 13, 2007
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Essay written by:
Alex Waltz
Middletown North High School
On
his 2007 visit to the Vietnam Memorial and Firehouse
Through
time, thousands of United States citizens have given their lives to
provide a safer and better living atmosphere for others. In United States
history, countless wars and aggressive conflicts have taken place with
incredible numbers of casualties within short periods of time. One of the
more recent conflicts that have taken place in which many soldiers have
perished is the Vietnam Conflict. Hundreds of thousands of citizens from
most states across the country were sent to Vietnam, some without their
approval due to the draft. A lot of these citizens returned to their loved
ones, but many of them did not.
The New
Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a tribute to New Jersey’s citizens who
died during their service to their country during the 1960’s and 1970’s.
After visiting this memorial, it was shocking to realize that so many
citizens were lost in Vietnam from New Jersey alone. Over one thousand
soldiers gave their lives to guarantee and protect the rights we as
citizens take advantage of daily. Losing such large numbers of people from
such a small state is unbelievable.
Fighting
others to protect freedoms of citizens and battling natural occurrences to
save lives are heroic qualities many individuals do not posses. It takes
courage and bravery to run into battle, whether it is fighting another
human being or a raging fire caused by natural events or criminals. Much
like soldiers, the Middletown Volunteer Fire Departments’ members risk
their lives to protect others from harm.
With a
father who is a retired fire fighter, along with a stepbrother who
presently fights for Middletown Community Fire Station Four, we know the
risks of personal injury on the job are large. Fire fighters are selfless,
caring only about others while endangering themselves. Many have perished
in the line of duty across America. Each individual firehouse has a
Memorial Wall for retired members who passed away on or off duty. These
memorials are on a much smaller scale than the Vietnam Memorial at PNC Art
Center, but it’s an important part of Fire Departments to remember their
past.
Fire
fighters and soldiers who take part in conflicts such as Vietnam and the
World Trade Center attacks are incredible human beings. The courage,
bravery, and loyalty to their country and citizens set them aside from the
rest of the nation. It takes an amazing person to risk their life in
service to preserve the way of life for others. Individual
memorials such as those located within the fire stations of Middletown and
the Vietnam Memorial in Holmdel show us the stakes at which life costs.
These memorials give us the opportunity to realize how precious life is
and to honor those who perished for the United States of America. These
memorials help us remember the citizens who made “the ultimate sacrifice”
not just on Memorial Day but also every day.
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Photos from
the 2006 Memorial Service
 
 
 
 
Special thanks and recognition to the
Clifton High School ROTC for attending and participating this event.
Photos by retired Deputy Chief Len
Swan
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The New Jersey
Deputy Fire Chiefs Association sponsored an essay contest with the criteria
that a student had to visit the NJ
Vietnam
Veterans Memorial and a fire station. The student was required to tie the
two visits together in an essay.
Kelly Caldwell, a student at
Morris
Hills
High School
wrote the following essay:
The Vietnam
War is not remembered as a shining victory for the American people. The men
who fought in this war were booed and spit on when they returned to the
states. Citizens everywhere were protesting the war when they should have
been supporting the troops’ lives. Thousands of soldiers died, yet people
were still protesting. The Vietnam War Memorial in Holmdel helps illustrate
some of the troubles these men went through, but nothing can ever help bring
them back.
Visiting the Vietnam War Memorial makes the war that much more of a
reality. Being a teenager, I do not often think about war, or the chance
that someone I know could die while fighting. Right now we have American
troops stationed in
Iraq
, but because it does not directly affect me, I do not spend much time
thinking about it. Visiting the Memorial made me change my ways. I saw how
many innocent young people lost their lives during the war, and how the ones
who returned home were not honored and respected, as they should have been.
The Memorial and the Educational center helped me learn a lot about the
war, more than I learned in any history class. I found myself grieving for
the loss of these soldiers, though I did not know any of them. It is a
terrible tragedy that so many people died fighting this war, while the rest
of
America
was protesting. I believe that no matter what battle we are engaged in, no
matter what side we are on we should always honor and respect the troops.
They are putting their lives on the line to fight for our country, and they
deserve more than respect. They deserve our prayers and our help everyday.
The Memorial helped me see all of this.
The other thing I realized was that firefighters deserve a lot of respect as
well. After visiting the firehouse, I saw how similar firefighters and
soldiers are. Both are risking their lives just to save someone else’s.
They will fight against all odds even if they are trying to save just one
person. These people are dedicated to their work, and always put others
before themselves. I was really touched by how generous and caring all
these people are.
The Vietnam Veteran’s War Memorial and the firehouse showed me that these
people are true Americans. They deserve our respect and admiration. They
certainly have both of these things from me, and I pray for the men and
women of the armed forces who are currently over in
Iraq
. I think it is important that everyone be educated about the war and see
that these people died fighting for their country, for a good cause. They
were heroic and honorable, and any veterans should be treated with the
utmost respect.
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Photos from 2005 Memorial Service
NEW JERSEY
VIETNAM VETERANS‘ MEMORIAL AND VIETNAM ERA EDUCATIONAL CENTER
EXIT 116, GARDEN STATE PARKWAY
(ON THE GROUNDS OF THE PNC BANK ARTS CENTER)
HOLMDEL, NJ
Click
HERE for directions to the
NEW JERSEY
VIETNAM VETERANS‘ MEMORIAL AND VIETNAM ERA EDUCATIONAL CENTER
10/07/2008
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