Under a cloudless, azure blue sky, the junior class cadets of the JROTC program at Cranston East held a special ceremony where they honored and remembered those fallen in the Vietnam War.

Program coordinator, Cadet Chenda Rivera, explained how the event came to be.

“Every three years the battalion is inspected by Cadet Command Headquarters and we must reach a certain amount of points that fall into multiple categories such as competitive events, formal events, as well as a service learning project,” she said.

“Each year we’ve used Save the Bay and the CCAP food drive as our service learning project and the judges from Cadet Command were getting very bored. So, the current senior class created the idea of renovating the Vietnam Memorial as a service-learning project during their junior year, but it wasn’t until this year where our Senior Army Instructor LTC (R) John Murray approved of the project.”

The project has been in the works for several months.

“Since October 2017, I have been the lead of the project,” Rivera said. “I first assigned groups into special committees that have a certain task they must complete. I then brought my mother Sophath Toun into the class, as she is a landscape designer. She briefed us on the fundamentals of architecture and construction. My class and I then sketched multiple designs of what we wanted the new memorial to look like, at the same time creating ways to fund for all supplies and plants that we needed, researched a lot about the Vietnam War, and searched up all Rhode Islanders who fought in the war.” 

Forest Hills Nurseries gave them a substantial discount on all plants. Then they started construction at the beginning of April. Cadets from the entire battalion volunteered to take part in construction every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the past month and a half after school. 

The in-coming Battalion Commander, Eric M. Testa, coordinated with A Sciolto and Sons Monuments Inc. for a new granite plaque dedicated to those who lost their lives and fought in the Vietnam War. Testa also coordinated with class president Emma Boucher to split half of the cost, to use as our senior class gift to the school.

Other costs were offset by fundraising events as well as money in the Cadet general fund.

“As the construction portion was coming to an end, the incoming Logistics Officer, Jadin Gagnon took control of the ceremony portion. For the whole month of May, Gagnon assigned certain duties to certain committees for the ceremony such as Veteran Affairs and invitations led by incoming Public Relations Officer Jesahias Quiroa and incoming Chief of Staff Serena Mora. They have both made it possible for multiple Rhode Island veterans to be at the ceremony and speak a few words,” Rivera said.

The purpose of the event is to commemorate those Vietnam Service members lost in the war, with a focus on the 12 Cranstonians who died in War.

“This Memorial was originally dedicated to those who fought during the Vietnam War by the class of 1969. We started working on this project in early November, and will continue the process through maintenance for years to come,” said Cadet Major Jesahias E. Quiroa, PR Officer.

The ceremony itself was brief, but followed a strict timeline.

Cadet Eric Testa offered opening remarks, and after the posting of colors and the playing of the National Anthem he gave a brief history of the original Vietnam Memorial and how the class of 2019 felt the need to restore and revitalize the area surrounding it.

He went on to explain the landscape design and why each bush or flower was planted. There was also a display of American flags included inside the garden area.

“The formation of the 209 American flags placed behind me, represent the 209 Rhode Islanders who gave their lives in Vietnam. The 12 flags at the front of the formation represent the 12 Cranstonians who made the ultimate sacrifice during the war,” Testa said.

Cadet Oscar Ortega and Class of 2019 member Justina Rodrigues read passages from the The Things they Carried, a collection of linked short stories by American novelist Tim O'Brien, about a platoon of American soldiers fighting on the ground in the Vietnam War.

Guest speaker SFC (R) John Fellows spoke of the shame and hatred that greeted the soldiers as they came home from Vietnam.

“We didn’t want to be political. But, when we came home we were despised. We were the only ones the civilians could relate to. It’s taken me years to accept the way we were treated. The horrors of war, I left back there,” he said.

Fellows also talked about his family and his relationship with Colonel Murray.

“I am not ashamed of my service. I want to thank the Colonel, the Cadets and students for making this memorial possible,” he said.

At this time, Fellows and Rivera unveiled the memorial.

A recording of Mansions of the Lord recorded by the Cadet Glee Club of West Point was played.

To conclude the service, the flags were lowered to half-staff while Jacob Nelson played Taps on the trumpet.

East Principal Sean Kelly was pleased with the event.

“I impressed by all the hard work and dedication the Cadets put into the project. They are leaders in the school and in the Cranston community. I am thankful for all they do, he said.

The monument is located in the small garden area between Cranston East and City Hall.