The Cheaspeake Chapter

Our Next Chapter Meeting is:
28 June 2008 at Historic Ft. Ward, in Alexandria, VA

We will meet in the second floor library. The timeline looks like this:

10:30 A.M. Socialize, members' informal displays and flea market.

11:00 A.M. Business meeting including announcements.

11:15 A.M. Speaker.

The presentation topic is: The “Three Fighting Men” of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Speakers: Kenneth Smith-Christmas, former curator of the National Museum of the Marine Corps and current Director of Exhibits, National Museum of the U.S. Army Project. Mr. Walter Bradford may also be a co-presenter. He was the Army Center of Military History representative on the project. Also, Mr. Denis Reen, who as a young marine was the model for the machinegunner figure depicted on the statue, will also attend.

Many veterans were not pleased with the original concept of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as proposed for the Mall in Washington, DC. They felt “the wall” by itself was not a truly fitting tribute to the courage and sacrifice of those who served, and in some cases died or were wounded, in what they considered honorable service in a noble effort and just cause. These veterans were not won over until the statue of the “Three Fighting Men” was added to the memorial. Mr. Smith-Christmas will discuss the behind-the-scenes efforts by members of the Armed Forces’ museum and history activities in contributing to the historical accuracy of the depiction of Vietnam-era combat troops in the field, including the use of actual items from military as well as their own personal collections to realistically accouter the models.

Thank you,

George Franks
President - Chesapeake Chapter
Send me email using the link on the Chapter page.

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