FIRST MEMORIAL
LOCATED
IN HISTORIC CALUMET CITY ILLINOIS
WAR MEMORIAL
Despite being a conflict of both a military and political nature,
the Vietnam War has spawned over 143 Memorials throughout the United States.
Many are massive monuments dedicated to preserving the memory of those
service persons who fought and died during the conflict.
Rick Kopka, Harold Rekau, Frederick Stephenson, Stanley Zalewski
and Jerome Rice have their names carved into the "Wall" in Washington D.C.
as a reminder to all those who visit the Capital that they existed as soldiers
who died while serving their country during the Vietnam War. They also
have a memorial in Calumet City, their home town.
Located on a small triangle of land at the corner of River Oaks
Drive and Wentworth Avenue is a concrete block with a bronze plaque reading
Dedicated to the Veterans of Korea and Vietnam
Gold Coast Manor Improvement Association
May 30, 1967.
In 1967, seven years before the conflict ended, there were no other
recorded monuments dedicated to the Vietnam Veterans. Research done by
two Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 153, Douglas Dado and Raynard
Sellers of Calumet City, indicates our community may be home to the first
memorial in the country to include the Veterans of this era. Even as late
as 1974 there were only four dated memorials for Vietnam Veterans according
to a survey done in 1986 by the
Project on the Vietnam Generation Organization.
Historically, most memorials are funded privately by local efforts
of the Vietnam Veterans. Their land is maintained by municipal or park
funding. Calumet Memorial Park, though not holding title to this triangle,
continues to support the local desire of honoring those who served by mowing
and keeping the area clean.
The owner of the property has generously allowed the monument to
exist on land he pays taxes for. The Cook County Forest Preserve owns the
remaining part of the triangle, directly behind the split rail fence surrounding
the memorial.
Dado and Sellers would like to have the entire triangle donated
to the memory of the Korean and Vietnam Conflicts with an expanded memorial.
They have gathered the statistical information they need to form a not-for-profit
organization in order to receive the property and set up a foundation for
the expansion.
Perhaps when funding is available for a larger monument it will
include one more name. During the last days of February 1991, Army Sgt.
Stanley Bartusiak, a 1974 graduate of Thornton Fractional North, was killed
by a scud missile attack at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. To add his name in memory
would add honor to those veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War.
(as published by the City of Calumet City Human Relations commission,
September 1992)
The following article published June 1, 1967 in the Calumet City
Journal
June 1, 1967
Flag Memorial reset for June 4 in Calumet City. Rain
washed out the flag memorial dedication in the Gold Coast last Sunday.
The complete ceremony will take place Sunday, June 4th at 2:30 p.m.
The flag memorial is the first of its kind in the
city dedicated to Korean and Vietnam Veterans. Members of color guards
of Calumet Memorial Post 330 and Ehinger Brothers VFW #8141 are taking
part in the presentation of the flag which will be raised by scout troops.
Among the members of Legion and VFW will be veterans of both the Korean
and Vietnam conflicts.
The following clip is also from the Calumet City Journal
June 8, 1967
After the ceremonies conducted last Sunday by the Gold Coast Manor
Improvement Association, participants in the program and visitors view
the plaque placed at the base of the flagpole. The inscription reads
"Dedicated to the Veterans of Korea & Vietnam".
May 30 1967
The following pictures were front page news in 1988:
FOLLOWING PICTURES TAKEN IN NOVEMBER, 2000
From the Daily Journal, Letters To The Editor Section June 15, 1967:
On behalf of the officers
and members of the Gold Coast Manor Improvement Association, we wish to
express our sincere appreciation to you and your staff for the fine coverage
given the recent flagpole dedication program sponsored by our organization.
Your publicity of this event stresses
the importance of a display of patriotism and serves as a reminder to your
readers of our debt to all those who served in Korean and Vietnam Conflicts,
thank you very much for your interest.
E. A. McCarty
FIRST MEMORIAL
MARCH 17, 2001
"Ray Shonk-Ray Shonk -- call me-- Rico"
POW/MIA & Veteran Links
CALUMET MEMORIAL POST 330
Vietnam Veterans of America
CALUMET CITY AREA GUIDE
SOUTHEAST SIDE Local History Site
Reunion album Kokomo 2002
Howard County Veterans
Sign Guestbook
SmilesandHugs
