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After a long
three-year research project by Allen Hathaway (assisted by a few others,
namely John Effinger, L Troop 67-68 and John Sorich, A Troop, 69-70) we
are finally prepared to correct errors on our monument in the Memorial
Garden at the Patton Museum, Fort Knox, KY.
The monument will be rededicated on Saturday, 8 September 2007
during the Memorial Service we will conduct for our XXII Annual Reunion.
The reunion hotel is The Galt House in Louisville, and you can find
information on the hotel in this issue of the “Thunder Run”.
To
correct errors, the four bronze plaques listing our Brothers who lost
their lives in Vietnam and Cambodia will be removed and replaced.
The new plaques, in addition to finally having correct data, will
be changed listing our KIA’s by Squadron, Troop or Company, and
Detachment. This will assist
in locating the names of lost comrades.
Names are currently listed chronologically around the monument with
no Troop designation. We
found a number of misspellings, missing names, and names of soldiers who
never served in the Regiment. All
these errors will be corrected.
In addition, the top
of the monument will be restored to its original condition and design
configuration that it had when constructed and placed in front of the
Regimental Chapel in Blackhorse base camp in Xuan Loc.
Sometime over the years, there was a repair made to the top of the
monument resulting in an unsightly concrete cap versus the original bronze
dome configuration.
Expenditure
of 11thACVVC funds for this project was approved by the membership
attending the Annual Business Meeting on 23 September 2006 during the XXI
Reunion in Kansas City, MO. The
membership also endorsed, by unanimous vote, a proposal to include on the
monument site three obelisks to mark the other wars and campaigns that the
11th Cavalry has conducted since its activation more than 105 years ago.
One
will mark our participation in the Philippine Insurrection and the Mexican
Expedition; another WWII, and finally, one will be placed to honor our
participation in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom III.
Each will stand about four feet high and will list the names of our
Fellow Troopers who lost their lives in those wars. (See the artist’s
rendering on page with brick order form)
In conjunction with this effort, we are proposing to establish a
“Circle of Honor” as a way to raise funds to offset the cost of the
additions to the monument site. This
will consist of 8 x 4 x 2 inch granite pavers that can be inscribed with
three 15-character lines that can include the name, unit, rank, and years
served (or other message, if preferred).
A donation of $100 per paver will be required.
This is a special way for you to join your fallen comrades in
spirit. Since your name will
never appear on the monument, this allows an avenue for you to honor your
Brothers and include your presence with theirs.
We are starting this fundraiser now so we can insure that the work
(including the “Circle of Honor”) can be completed in time for the
rededication ceremony in September 2007.
An
artist’s sketch of the outline of the “Circle of Honor” is located
on the page with the brick order form that you can use to reserve your
place in history along with your deceased “Brothers”.
Reserve yours now! We will be limited to approximately 1,500 pavers, and must
reserve these on a “First Come, First Served” basis. Once the Circle of Honor is in place, unclaimed pavers may
still be available, however the required donation will then be $125 due to
additional costs of engraving on site.
(The
addition of the three obelisks and the “Circle of Honor” is pending
approval by the Board of Directors of the Patton Museum, so all donations
collected for the pavers will be held in escrow until approval is granted.
In the unlikely event that the project is not approved, all
donations will be refunded.)
Click
here for
Artist Rendition of Circle of Honor
Click
Here for
Brick order
Form
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