On Saturday May 17, 2008, thirty-three years after the war ended, veterans, families, and onlookers from across Connecticut gathered in Patriots Park in Coventry for the unveiling of the first memorial honoring the 612 men from Connecticut who died in the Vietnam War. More than 1,000 people attended, Lake Street was closed so more than 400 motorcycles could ride to the park as an honor guard, and local, state, and federal officials joined veterans and community groups in a ceremony marked by speeches of apology, remembrance, and welcome home. After the ceremony, the crowd moved to Veterans Green, where Jean Risley and Paul Jatkowski unveiled a black granite wall bearing the names of Connecticut's fallen. The memorial grew from a 2001 Captain Nathan Hale Middle School project inspired by teacher Thomas Dzieck, which produced the book “612” about the state's Vietnam dead. Moved by that effort and by the loss of her brother, Spec 4 Robert Tillquist, who died in the Pleiku Campaign on November 4, 1965, Risley organized the Connecticut Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee to create a permanent memorial. Beginning in 2006, the committee worked with Coventry officials, secured unanimous town support and a site chosen on March 13, 2007, raised funds through donations and community events, and broke ground in August 2007 before completing a memorial meant to honor the fallen, welcome home Vietnam veterans, and remind future generations of their sacrifices.

Photo: Michael Herrick

Photo: Michael Herrick

South Coventry, Connecticut · USA