CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (Clarksvillenow.com) On this Memorial Day weekend, the Vietnam Veterans of America, Clarksville Chapter 396, held their annual Vietnam Veterans Candlelight Vigil, Sunday, May 29 at Veterans Plaza. The Candlelight Vigil honors the memory of the men and women who were left behind in Vietnam when American forces left in 1975.
Gary Ezell, with the local chapter talked about the event. “We started this vigil in 1989 and each year we have held this candlelight vigil and plan to continue to do so until all of them are brought home and accounted for,” said Ezell. There were 43 POW/MIA’s listed on the roster when the vigil began.
Ezell read the names of the 27 Tennesseans who have yet to be returned from Vietnam. One of those, U.S. Army Sgt. Donald Gervais, is from Clarksville. As each name was read, a candle was lit, a bell tolled, and a chair with the name of the POW/MIA was placed in the center of the ceremony. A member of Chapter 396 also announced, “absent but not forgotten”.
Guest speaker for the candlelight vigil was Bill Summers, a veteran of the United States Air Force. The Montgomery Central High School JROTC handled the presentation the colors for the vigil and also assisted with the placing of the chairs of those from Tennessee who have not returned.
The Montgomery County Veterans Service Organization will host the Clarksville-Montgomery County Memorial Day Ceremony which is scheduled for Monday, May 30 at 10:00 a.m. at the William O. Beach Civic Hall in Veterans Plaza, 350 Pageant Lane.