The College of the Ozarks dedicated the official Missouri Vietnam Veterans Memorial at its campus on April 22, 2015. Thousands watched the unveiling of a memorial that was a long overdue during a ceremony that included speeches by college president Jerry Davis, Bass Pro Shops owner Johnny Morris, Ret. Lt. Col. Oliver North and various graduates from the school that served in Vietnam.
While we were unable to attend the dedication ceremony, we stopped in for a brief visit and photos the following month. The memorial honors the more than 1400 sons and daughters from the state of Missouri, who lost their lives during the Vietnam War.
Paid for almost entirely through donations and fundraising, it stands near Veterans Grove, at the entrance of the college. A bronze statue represents the veterans who survived and returned home, and divides two walls of granite displaying the names of those that did not. Near the foot of the statue lies a small flowerbed shaped in a V, standing for valor, filled with red flowers to representing the blood spilled during the conflict. Granite benches face inward, providing a quiet place for visitors to reflect.
. . . Further Reading . . .
The Missouri Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Legion.org
