The Washburn Area Veterans Memorial unveiled a tribute to Vietnam soldiers on Saturday, drawing the largest crowd it’s seen in recent years.
The dedication of a new addition to the park has become a tradition at the town’s annual August Festival.
This year’s project, a cast bronze Vietnam soldier, is the most expensive to date at $23,000 and is the park’s first specifically to honor those who served in Vietnam.
The Washburn Rotary Club led fundraising.
About 200 people crowded into the small area as retired U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Larry Harrison, who has spearheaded the park’s projects, led an hourlong ceremony that included a color guard with the Aroostook Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol, flag raisings, a wreath laying and 21-gun salute.
“The Vietnam soldier is known as the bravest generation,” Harrison said.
From 1965 to 1973, more than 2.7 million U.S servicemen and women served in Vietnam. More than 300,000 were wounded and 58,479 were killed, he said.
“Following the Tet offensive of 1968, the U.S public turned against our military, and these young men and women were never given a welcome home,” Harrison said. “Now we say thank you and welcome home.”
After the statue’s unveiling, Scout Luke Gordon read the names of all 38 Aroostook County soldiers who died in the Vietnam War, while Scout Paul Coy rang a bell after each name.
As Eagle Scout projects, Gordon had installed flags honoring Vietnam veterans and military dogs, while Coy built a walled flower garden around five other flagpoles representing military service branches.
Patriot Riders of Maine, who participate in Wreaths Across America, laid a wreath at the new statue.
While the tribute honors all Vietnam veterans, it was dedicated to the memory of two of Aroostook County’s 38 soldiers killed in the conflict: Dellwyn Fitch of Perham and Stuart Woodman of Washburn.