Dear Editor

As one of those 50 million plus people who have been directly or indirectly affected by the war in Vietnam, I am thankful to the Belmont County Commissioners and the Belmont County Veterans Service Commission for endorsing the establishment of an Education Center in Washington, D.C.

Once you have seen the black mirror-like stone Vietnam Memorial Wall and its 58,261 AMERICAN names of those who died, you can never forget it…..nor would you want to. It forever becomes an integral part of you.

Finally our young people will learn about Vietnam and the courage and nobility of the men and women who served there. If it is mentioned at all in school history books, it can never give credit enough to this divisive and “forgotten” war.

We must never allow ourselves to forget the unquestioning loyalty of those who fought there and what that uncommon bravery taught all of us.

Mary Jo Kurko

Bellaire