Vermont's Global War on Terror War Memorial to be built

Mon Dec 14 2009 --
Written by:  Ray DeGiovine, father of Corporal Chris DeGiovine, USMC

VERMONT BUSINESS MAGAZINE, December 2009

Whether one calls America’s current war, the Global War on Terror (GWOT), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), or the Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO) the fact remains – to date, there is no state War Memorial honoring all Fallen Vermonter’s who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may continue to revere our Liberty and Freedoms.

Our first President, George Washington, had the foresight to say the following:

“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.”

The Vermont Fallen Families

On September 11, 2001, the Vermont Fallen Families did not exist; at least not as the nascent group that we are today. None of us could imagine the personal horror we were destined to share.

We are the families of Vermont’s Fallen Global War on Terror Heroes; we were to meet at military funerals for our sons, fathers, husbands and brothers. The first Vermont Fallen GWOT Hero was Chief Warrant Officer Erik Halvorsen of Bennington. Erik was killed-in-action on April 2, 2003. Not many of us attended Erik’s funeral. The most recent Vermont GWOT Fallen Hero is Second Lieutenant Joseph Fortin of St Johnsbury. Joey was killed-in-action on August 23, 2009. The Vermont Fallen Families have been supporting each other and veterans’ issues in general for more than six years.

36 Vermont Fallen GWOT Heroes with ties to 29 towns

As of August 23, 2009, our 36 Vermont Fallen GWOT Heroes are: Chief Warrant Officer Erik Halvorsen, Bennington; Corporal Mark Evnin, Burlington; Sergeant Justin Garvey, Proctor; Private Kyle Gilbert, Brattleboro; Staff Sergeant Scott Rose, Springfield; First Lieutenant Pierre Piche, Starksboro; Specialist Solomon Bangayan, Jay; Sergeant Bill Normandy, East Barre; Specialist Christopher Gelineau, Bristol; Sergeant Kevin Sheehan, Milton; Sergeant Alan Bean Jr, Bridport; Staff Sergeant Jamie Gray, East Montpelier; Lieutenant Colonel David Greene, Shelburne; Sergeant Michael Voss, Enosburg; Major C Robert Soltes, Norwich University; Lance Corporal Jeffery Holmes, White River Jct; Colonel James Moore, Norwich University; Sergeant Jesse Strong, Irasburg; Lance Corporal Adam Strain, North Hero; Sergeant First Class Michael Benson, Colchester; Master Sergeant Chris Chapin, Proctor; First Lieutenant Mark Dooley, Wilmington; Specialist Scott McLaughlin, Hardwick; Second Lieutenant Mark Procopio, Stowe; Sergeant Joshua Johnson, Richford; Specialist Chris Merchant, Hardwick; Sergeant J Tom Stone, Tunbridge; Lance Corporal Kurt Dechen, Springfield; Sergeant Carlton Clark, Sharon; Captain Anthony Palermo, Norwich University; Sergeant Adam Kennedy, Norwich University; Corporal Chris DeGiovine, Essex Junction; Private First Class Adam Muller, Jonesville; Sergeant First Class Jason Dene, Castleton; Corporal Ryan McGhee, Springfield; and Second Lieutenant Joseph Fortin, St Johnsbury.

The Vermont Fallen Heroes represent these Service Branches: US Marines - 7, VT Army National Guard - 11 and US Regular Army – 18; from these war related locales: Afghanistan – 1, Iraq – 35.

GWOT Memorial designer Dana Morissette’s poignant words are extremely moving to all the Fallen Families; they are, in part:

“… That they have chosen my design is humbling. … The entire memorial is made of select Barre gray granite quarried in central Vermont. The overall dimensions are 38-feet wide, 44-feet long, and 6-feet high.

At the heart of the memorial stands a granite sculpture titled ‘Falling Leaves.’ It consists of a semi-circular pedestal adorned with the five service emblems of the armed forces of The United States. Sitting on the pedestal is a life sized field memorial featuring an M16, helmet, boots and dog tags. In the background, there are relief carvings of a citizen soldier representing the patriotic spirit of Vermonters and the Vermont State House, which represents the constitutions and freedoms for which they fought. A maple tree grows up the side as leaves representing the Fallen Patriots fall to the ground.

In front of the field memorial stands a low sarcophagus etched with the names and representing the body of Vermont’s Fallen Patriots.

Surrounding the field memorial and sarcophagus are three semi-circular bench walls.

In the center of each bench wall stands a monolith. The monolith on the left is dedicated to all those from Vermont who have served in the Global War on Terror. It has a hand tooled War on Terror Service Medal. The monolith on the right is dedicated to the families of the fallen and the great sacrifices they have made. It has a hand tooled Vermont Patriot’s Medal. The monolith in the back has a bronze dedication plaque and expresses the pride and sorrow of the citizens of Vermont.

Together the three monoliths – their family, their comrades and their fellow citizens stand as sentinels ready to guard the sacred honor of the fallen. …”

Location, Cost And Timeline

The Cemetery Advisory Board of the Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Randolph, has provided a reverent location at the entrance to the cemetery.

The project budget is estimated at $350,000 for the completed Memorial. We have raised $86,000 to date and have “in kind” commitments of approximately $78,500. The Memorial will be 100 percent privately funded. Groundbreaking is slated for Memorial Day 2010 with a dedication of the Memorial on Veteran’s Day of 2010.

Lasting Tribute To Fallen Heroes

The GWOT Memorial will be a lasting tribute to our Fallen Heroes who have made the “ultimate sacrifice” protecting our country and defending our freedom. They will not be forgotten.

We respectfully ask that Vermonters support our efforts to honor and remember all Vermont Fallen GWOT Heroes. Anyone wishing to contribute may send donations to: Vermont Fallen Heroes GWOT Memorial Fund Inc., c/o Ray DeGiovine, Treasurer, 15 Corduroy Road, Essex Junction, VT 05452. All donations are tax deductible to the extent permissible by law. Website: www.VermontFallenHeroesGWOTMemorial.org. Thank You.

Ray DeGiovine, is treasurer of the Vermont Fallen Heroes GWOT Memorial Fund, Inc., a retired IBM Engineering manager and 40-year resident of Essex Junction. Ray’s only child, Corporal Christopher DeGiovine, USMC, was killed-in-action north of Fallujah on April 26, 2007. Chris was a life-long resident of Vermont and Champlain College graduate with a BS in Criminal Justice.

Used with permission. Vermont Business Magazine, December 2009 issue.