Vietnam War Memorial, Memorial Green, Chicopee, MA, USA
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 42° 08.853 W 072° 35.615
18T E 698838 N 4668961
The Vietnam War Memorial is located at the Memorial Green on Front and Bonneville Streets in Chicopee.
Waymark Code: WMGM9F
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 03/19/2013
Views: 5
The Chicopee Vietnam War Memorial is a complex monument. The base is an irregular granite octagon with each side having inscriptions giving details of a different branch of the military. Above the base is granite plinth supporting a polished black granite POW-MIA monument, a rectangular granite block, a gray granite tablet inscribed on both sides, and, at the top, a full color copy of the Vietnam campaign ribbon.
On the granite tablet and the granite block below the campaign ribbon is the inscription:
THIS CAMPAIGN RIBBON
AWARDED TO ALL WHO PROUDLY SERVED
WITH THE ARMED FORCES IN
VIETNAM
On the granite tablet on the other side of the campaign ribbon is the inscription:
"NO EVENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY IS MORE
MISUNDERSTOOD THAN THE VIETNAM WAR. IT WAS
MISREPORTED THEN, AND IT IS MISREPORTED NOW.
RARELY HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE BEEN SO WRONG
ABOUT SO MUCH. NEVER HAVE THE CONSEQUENCES
OF THEIR MISUNDERSTANDING BEEN SO TRAGIC."
PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON
The octagonal faces of the base have the following inscription:
Incised image of the U.S. Navy emblem followed by:
U.S. NAVY
7TH FLEET DEPLOYED FROM JAPAN
TO S.E. ASIA 1961-1973
BATTLESHIP CRUISERS DESTROYERS
TASK GP. 70.8 SHIPS & INLAND TARGETS
TASK FORCE 73 LOGISTIC SUPPORT TO
WARSHIPS AT SEA OFF VIETNAM
T.F. 76 COASTLINE AMPHIBIOUS ATTACKS
T.F. 77 CARRIER AIRCRAFT S.E. ASIA
T.F. 115 3/65 144 BOATS PATROLLING
S.E. ASIA 1200 MILE COASTLINE
T.F. 116 12/65-12/70 RIVER PATROL FORCE
SQD. #5, COMMANDED THE BOATS
PACIFIC FLEET'S SEAL TEAM #1
T.F. 117 2/67-8/69 RIVERINE ASSAULT
4 RIVER ASSAULT SQDS 400 MEN EACH
SAILORS 1,842,000 TOTAL LOST 2,562
CHICOPEE LOST 1
Incised image of the U.S. Air Force emblem followed by:
U.S. AIR FORCE
2ND AIR DIV. 10/62-4/66
7TH AIR FORCE ORG. 4/66-3/73
3RD-12TH 31ST 35TH 366TH TAC FGTR. WING
834TH AIR CIV AF ADV. GRP
7/13 AIR FORCE 1/66
8TH 355TH 388TH T.F.W.
432D 533D T.R.W. 56TH SP. OP. WING
SAC 1965-1973 B52 BOMBERS 3RD A. DIV.
WESTOVER AFB 337TH MAS C-124
WAFB 99TH BW-B-52'S KC 135X1965-1973
8TH AF 7/70 4133D BW GUAM 425 8TH SAW
307 SAW THAILAND 4252 SAW OKINAWA
MAC 1963-1973 TAC 1962-72 834TH A. DIV.
11/66-11/70 SUB UNIT 315TH S.O.W. 483D TAW
315TH A. DIV. SUB UNITS 374TH 463D TCW
TOTAL 1,740,000 WOUNDED - 931 LOST 2,582
CHICOPEE LOST 2
Incised image of the U.S. Coast Guard emblem followed by:
U.S. COAST GUARD
VIETNAM S.E. ASIA 1965-75
1200 MILES OF COASTLINE
56 SHIPS CRUISED 5.5 MILLION MILES
5800 NAVAL GUNFIRE MISSIONS
SUPPORT UNITS 4 BUOY TENDERS 1 CARGO
SQD. 1 OPR. MKT. TIME 26 82 FT. PATROL BOATS
ASSIGNED DIV. 11-9 DIV. 12-8 DIV. 13-9
SQD. 3 30 HIGH ENDURANCE CUTTERS
8 DEPLOYMENTS 4-1967, 1-1972
12 C.G. PILOTS FLEW AIR FORCE C-130
& HELICOPTERS HH-3 HH-53
TOTAL 8000 WOUNDED 60 LOST 7
Incised image of the Veterans Memorial Committee followed by:
TO THE ABOVE
COMMITTEE - TO
THE CITIZENS &
BUSINESSES WHOSE
DONATIONS MADE
THIS MONUMENT
POSSIBLE
THANK YOU
RICHARD J. KOS
MAYOR
DEDICATED
04-30-2000
Incised image of the U.S. Army emblem followed by:
U.S. ARMY
MACV 2/62 TO 3/73
12 INFANTRY DIVISIONS 367 UNITS
1T INF. - 2ND INF. - 3RD MECH - 4TH INF.
5TH MECH - 6TH INF. - 7TH INF. - 8TH MECH
9TH INF - 23RD AMCL - 24TH INF. - 25TH INF.
1ST CAL DIV. AIRBORNE 51 UNITS
11TH AIR ASSAULT DIV. 25 UNITS
101ST AIRBORNE DIV.
3RD BE. 82ND AIRBORNE DIV.
5TH SPECIAL FORCES
4 ARMORED DIV. 105 UNITS
1ST 2ND 3RD - 4TH
SOLDIERS 4,368,000
WOUNDED 96,802 LOST 38,189
CHICOPEE LOST 10
Incised images of the emblems of the U.S. Military Army, Air Force and Navy Nurses with the inscriptions:
WOMEN IN THE ARMED FORCES
1964-73 265,000 - IN VIETNAM 8-9000
FACTS ABOUT WOMEN IN VIETNAM
5.8% WOUNDED 1.3% IN COMBAT AREA
1.2% AWARDED PURPLE HEART .08% P.O.W.
U.S. MILITARY NURSES
ARMY AIRFORCE NAVY
OVER 6750 NURSES CARED FOR
350,000+ CASUALTIES IN VIETNAM
THE TENDER LOVING CARE OF OUR
NURSES WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED
BY THOSE FOR WHOM THEY CARED
WOMEN LOST 8 NURSES
Incised image of the U.S. Marine Corp emblem followed by:
U.S. MARINE CORPS
1ST MARINE WING DANANG 5/1965
3 HELICOPTER 3 FIGHTER BOMBER GRPS
3RD MAR. AMPHIBIOUS FORCE 5/65-4/71
1ST MAR. DIV. 4 INF. RGTS 1-5-7-27TH 3BN EA.
3RD MAR. DIV. 4 INF. RGTS 3-4-9-26TH 3BN EA.
ARMOR 4BN FORCE RCN 2BN ANTITANK 2BN
1ST FIELD ARTILLERY GROUP
11TH ARTY RGT 4BN 12TH ARTY RGT 6BN
MISC ARTY 7 UNITS EGR 5BN RADIO 3BN
MED 2BN 1 HSPL CO MP 2BN MOTOR 5BN
1ST FORCE SER RGT 4BN SEV 5BN 1 CO
TOTAL UNITS 103 MARINES 794,000
WOUNDED 51,392 LOST 14,837
CHICOPEE LOST 3
Incised image of the U.S. Military Chaplains Corp followed by:
MILITARY CHAPLAINS
CORPS
THEY ANSWERED THEIR
COUNTRY'S CALL AND
SERVED WITH OUR
MILITARY PERSONNEL
ON LAND, ON SEA &
IN THE AIR. THEIR
ONLY WEAPONS, FAITH
& BOOKS OF PRAYER.
THEY GAVE COMFORT &
MORAL SUPPORT TO ALL.
16 GAVE THEIR LIVES
3 WERE AWARDED
"THE MEDAL OF HONOR"
THEIR SERVICES IN
THE HOUR OF NEED
WILL ALWAYS BE
APPRECIATED.