Schulenburg, Texas, Chapter 870 recently made a sizeable donation to the local Veterans Outreach Program, which supports the VA Clinic in La Grange, Texas. Chapter President Andy Janda and members Ben Behler and Pat Lyons were on hand at the clinic for the presentation of the clothing, food, and other items purchased with the chapter’s donation.

Fourteen members of the Columbus, Texas, Chapter 1127 participated in a May 15 Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. Honor Flight of Austin covered all the veterans’ expenses, including meals, accommodations, and transportation. Among other things, chapter members found the names of five Colorado County servicemembers who lost their lives in Vietnam at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Rochester, New York, Chapter 20 members Chuck Macaluso, Fred Elliott, and Lynn Gursslin provided a tour of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and War on Terror Memorials for Gold Star Mothers attending their 2026 Convention in Rochester April 17.

Courtesy Jim Venable/Chapter 1019

IN MEMORIUM

Many VVA chapters and state councils participated in events this year in the true spirt of Memorial Day on May 25, remembering and honoring those who lost their lives in America’s wars at solemn ceremonies throughout the nation. What follows is a brief look at some of them.

Phoenixville, Pa., Major Louis F. Guillermin Chapter 436 provided the Honor Guard for two Memorial Day Parades, on May 25 in Downingtown, and on May 31, the traditional Memorial Day, in Malvern, Pa. Pasadena, California, Chapter 446 co-sponsored the city’s Memorial Day Remembrance at Pasadena’s Memorial Park. The ceremonies included a reading of the names of 320 members of the Pasadena community who died in uniform during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the wars since then.

The Fresno, California, City County honored William G. Camp Memorial Fresno Chapter 933 on May 21 with a Proclamation recognizing the 40th anniversary of the chapter’s Memorial Day Sunrise Service at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Fresno’s Woodward Park. Chapter spokesperson Paul Kaser and chapter member and former VVA Board Jim Doyle accepted the Proclamation. The chapter held the Sunrise Service four days later on Memorial Day at the break of dawn. “I don’t know that anyone who was here for that first service in 1986 ever gave a thought to being here forty years later,” Kaser said. “It’s not only a tradition, but an obligation.”

Greater Metro-Atlanta Chapter 1118 held its 1st Annual Memorial Day Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Sons of Atlanta Vietnam War Memorial in the city’s Piedmont Park. The ceremony honored the 240 servicemembers from Atlanta and Fulton County who died during the Vietnam War. Meridian, Idaho, Treasure Valley, Chapter 1025 held a Reading of the Names Memorial Day Ceremony at Boise’s Veterans Memorial Park honoring the 217 local servicemembers who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.

Kentuckiana Chapter 454 held two Memorial Day programs: its 32nd annual ceremony at The Final LZ Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Highland Gardens Cemetery in Mt. Washington, Kentucky, and at the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Frankfort. Retired Army Maj. Gen. Robert Silverthorn was the latter’s Keynote speaker. Chapter president Gregory Bethards emceed the event.

Mississippi Coast Chapter 1150 commemorated Memorial Day at the Mississippi Vietnam Veterans Memorial at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Veterans Park in Ocean Springs. The memorial honors the 668 Mississippians who perished in the Vietnam War and includes photographs of many of them. Twelve addition photographs were added at this year’s ceremonies.

Delaware, Ohio, Chapter 1095 conducted its Memorial Day ceremonies at Oak Grove Cemetery in Delaware. The chapter Honor Guard Unit presented a rifle volley, “Taps,” and a folding of the American flag. Members of Ponca City, Oklahoma, Chapter 750 placed 1,200 American flags on veterans’ graves at two local cemeteries, Resthaven, and Odd Fellows IOOF, where they later conducted Memorial Day commemorations.

The Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Chapter 67 Honor Guard marched in the Media, Pennsylvania, Memorial Day Parade. Later, in ceremonies at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Market Square Memorial Park, they paid tribute to the 185 local men and women who lost their lives in the Vietnam War. Texarkana Area Chapter 278 held its 43rd annual Memorial Day Service at the chapter’s Korea/Vietnam Memorial in Texarkana, Texas, which the chapter built in 1988.

Members of Northern Utah Chapter 1079 took part in a Memorial Day Wreath Laying at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall replica Layton Commons Park in Layton Utah. Members of Sno-King, Washington, Chapter 423 placed flags on veterans’ graves at Floral Hills Cemetery in Lynnwood, Wash., on May 24, then conducted a Memorial Day ceremony the next day. The chapter has held Memorial Day ceremonies at Floral Hills for 32 years.

Members of Norwich, Connecticut, Chapter 270 marched in that city’s Memorial Day Parade and then took part in ceremonies at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Norwich. Northern Virginia Dean K. Phillips Memorial Chapter 227 held its annual Memorial Day service at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., at 8:00 a.m., followed by its traditional breakfast at a diner in Arlington, Va.

Toledo, Ohio, Chapter 35 co-sponsored the Oregon Area Memorial Day Observance at Clay High School’s Memorial Stadium in Oregon, Ohio. Retired U.S. Navy SEAL Master Chief Edward C. Byers, Jr., an Afghanistan War Medal of Honor recipient, gave the Keynote speech. An Ohio National Guard 180th Tactical Fighter Squadron performed a flyover during the event.

Savannah, Georgia, Chapter 671 hosted a Memorial Day service at the Vietnam Memorial in downtown Savannah’s Emmet Park. “The younger generation needs to know that great sacrifices were made,” said Chapter President Lionel Marmolejo, as the ceremony honored 106 servicemembers “who died serving this country to bring freedom to America, which we enjoy.”

Phil Rios, the president of Sacramento Valley, Chapter 500, and other chapter members took part in the reading of the names of California servicemembers who died in Vietnam s during Memorial Day weekend at the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Capitol Park.

Members of Topeka, Kansas, Chapter 604 took part in a name reading at the Vietnam Veterans Bell Tower at Topeka Cemetery on Memorial Day, which included the ringing of the bell for each name. “We never will forget our fallen veterans from Vietnam,” Kansas State Council President Roland Mayhew said at the ceremony. After the ceremony, chapter members laid wreaths at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Topeka’s Garfield Park.

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