Volusia County to Unveil Vietnam Memorial Wall

Volusia County to Unveil Vietnam Memorial Wall

 VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA – To honor local Vietnam veterans and preserve their legacy for generations to come, Volusia County will unveil a Vietnam Memorial Wall at 10 a.m. Friday, March 27, at Veterans Memorial Plaza, 125 W. Orange Ave., Daytona Beach.

The gray granite monument, which is 5 feet high and 8.5 feet wide, will stand on the north side of the plaza against a backdrop of the Halifax River. A black granite panel, etched with scenes from the Vietnam Memorial Wall and Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington, D.C., will document the war, those who served, those lost, and those who came home.

Inscribed on the panel are the words, “To All the Vietnam Veterans/Thank You and Welcome Home,” a call to residents to thank a Vietnam veteran, shake their hand, and welcome them home – honors many of them did not receive when they returned from the war.

Volusia County Veterans Services Director Scott Olson noted that the monument will also serve as an educational tool. It will help capture the duty, honor and sacrifice of Vietnam veterans and their families.

U.S. Army veteran Robert “Bob” Adkins, a sergeant during the Vietnam War, led the effort to bring the monument to Volusia County. As past president of Volusia Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 1048, Adkins spearheaded the chapter’s $35,000 donation.

“The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1048 is proud to have partnered with Volusia County to make this monument a reality,” Adkins said. “This wall will mean a great deal to the veterans who served and to the community that supports them, and we hope it stands as a lasting reminder of the sacrifices made by so many.”

Speakers include retired Gen. James Hartsell, executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs; State Sen. Tom Wright; State Rep. Chase Tramont; Volusia County Council At-large Member Jake Johansson; and Bob Adkins. VVA Chapter 1048 will serve as the Honor Guard. Coastal Florida Police & Fire Pipes & Drums will provide traditional music to mark the solemnity of the occasion.

Parking will be available at the Steven C. Henderson Judicial Center.

Read the story of Staff Sergeant William Lee Owen Brown, a DeLand born man who lost his life when a plane he was flying aboard came under fire while approaching the Khe Sanh Airfield in 1968.

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