BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — On a windy 20 degree November day, a group of local Veterans and residents gathered near the proposed site of a Vietnam Veterans memorial in Berkeley Springs.
The Morgan County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund added another sticker to their thermometer Tuesday. Through community donations, the organization has reached $220,000.
At 225 thousand dollars, they will build a monument honoring Vietnam veterans.
“I’m not a Veteran myself,” MCVVMF Organizer Chuck Hampe said. “I was getting out of school when the war was winding down and I was never drafted. I thought well, I gotta do something for them. So I started selling little crafty things and I raised over $5,000 doing that myself with my wife.”
Morgan County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund adds another sticker to their thermometer. We’ll hear from Veterans in attendance on #PanhandleLive at 9:20 this morning. @EPNewsNetwork pic.twitter.com/fCUKM13Jtw
— Mike McCullough (@MikeMcC_MN) November 13, 2019
“It means so much to me to at least getting something done to show respect for the Vietnam Veterans of Morgan County,” Hampe added. “There were over 58,000 casualties during the Vietnam War and there were over 300 that came from West Virginia. Seven of them came from Morgan County.”
According to Hampe, Morgan County Veterans killed in action during the Vietnam War include:
- Pfc. William Stotler – 8.2.67
- Pfc. Paul William Risinger – 11.8.67
- Sp.4 Larry Monroe Clark – 2-2-68
- Sp. 4 Reid Tyrone Styers – 5-26-68
- 1st L. Richard Morgan Johnson, Jr. – 7-10-68
- Cpl. Leland Alston Bailey – 9-20-69
- YM Tony Lynn McBee – 4-11-73
The MCVVMF has been working to find Veterans from Morgan County to include on the monument. Veterans have until December 31 to be listed on the monument. Pennsylvania-based Gordon’s Memorials has been selected to complete the work.
Local Veteran Rick Phillips watched Tuesday’s event. While humble, he said he was thankful for the Hampe family and the work they have put in to making the monument a reality.
“My heart goes out to every Veteran in the world.” local Veteran Rick Phillips said. “There are a lot of people and Veterans that deserve a lot more credit than me. I am just proud to be a member. It’s too long forgotten and thank God it finally worked this time.”
Veteran Donald DeLash applauded the Morgan County community while speaking to the Panhandle News Network. DeLash said the tight-knit area often bands together to help one another.
“It’s surprising that in a community of this size that they could raise a quarter million dollars. Most people up here are retirees living on limited income.”
Another step closer: residents, Veterans and officials gather as the Morgan County Vietnam Veterans Memorial fund adds another sticker to their thermometer. At $225k, the organization will build a monument honoring Morgan County Vietnam Vets. @EPNewsNetwork pic.twitter.com/hGAVWa9wV9
— Mike McCullough (@MikeMcC_MN) November 12, 2019
For more information on how to donate, visit the MCVVMF website or follow their Facebook page.