LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Don't forget our fallen heroes

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To the editor:

Several years ago, I began a quest to place a commemorative plaque in Van Cortlandt Park’s Memorial Grove to honor Roger C. Brathwaite, a local resident who served in the U.S. Army and valiantly lost his life during the Vietnam War during the horrific battle in the A Shau Valley in July 1969.

Over the years, the journey to honor his memory morphed into a mission to duly honor all of the Bronx residents who fought and served during the Vietnam War. As one may well expect, many hurdles needed to be negotiated with many representatives of our local government, and it was often felt that those who served in combat during our most vilified battles would never be honored here in the Bronx.

Thanks to the enduring efforts of many individuals, Roger and his comrades in arms have finally received a token of recognition for their service and sacrifices. A marker has been placed in the grove that reads, “In honor of the Bronx men and women who valiantly served their country in Vietnam.”

The effort to achieve this goal required countless conversations and mailings over the course of the years, but today I would like to especially thank Jonathan Kuhn, the city’s parks director of arts and antiquities; Ms. Colombina Valera, the city’s parks monuments coordinator; Councilman Andrew Cohen for obtaining the funds required for the installation; and the many other people who lent their tacit support along the way toward achieving the objective. 

The Vietnam War was an especially unpopular and probably unnecessary conflict — one that took tens of thousands of American lives and devastated millions of families. Roger Brathwaite, who last lived on West 230th Street, was a combat medic who courageously served the men of my infantry platoon in the 101st Airborne Division.

The memory of his life, and especially his success in selflessly tending the dreadful wounds of others, should never be forgotten. Neither should the memory of the individual service men and women be marred by the aftertaste of an unpopular war. 

The placement of the memorial marker in Van Cortlandt Park — now the only commemorative dedication to them in all of the Bronx — though long overdue, can serve in perpetuity to remind the public of the individual cost of a conflict, now more than a half-century past.

Stephen J. Budihas

Stephen J. Budihas

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