Kentucky IX

Today, we return to regular posts honoring those individuals who were lost served or memorials to those who served and/or were lost.

Three from Kentucky will be honored today. Their names are listed on the memorial in Simpson County.

Paul Douglass Aton

PFC Aton     was lost on July 29th, 1968. He was involved in ground combat and drowned. He was born in Texas but moved to Kentucky, enlisted from there and was buried there.

Ronnie L. Clayburn

LCPL Clayburn was lost 0n June 7, 1969 at Quang Nam Province by rocket or artillary fire. He, like PFC Aton above was from Franklin, Kentucky.

Earl W. Frye

PFC Frye was lost to artillary, rocket, or mortar fire on March 26, 1968.

The memorial honoring these men, among others, is located at the Franklin City Hall.

Next time, on January 16th, we will return to Louisiana and a brand new memorial to all who were lost from the state, so join me there, as usual at 9:00 am. 

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia, Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, Elli from Maryland, and Peg and Ray from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served and/or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here.

I hope all those listed here will encourage you to send along photos and join the group. 

New Hampshire VII (Update)

After a little more research I have discovered that two from Franklin were lost. SP5 David B. Perraualt and SSG. Joseph Andrew Rayno. So, sadly, perhaps my original observation is correct. If no one from a particular town was lost, then no memorials are built. If you know otherwise, please let me know.

New Hampshire VII

In Franklin, we found across this small park on a corner. Located at the intersection of Central Street and Main Street, its dignity is evident and appropriate. There are no names listed here, so, one hopes that none of her sons and daughters were lost to Franklin.

I think that it is great that a town honors all who served. It does seem that if no one was lost, often there is no memorial of any kind. So, to find one like this is especially nice.

Kentucky VI

This memorial is located at the City Hall in Franklin, Ky. Not far from the Tennessee State line, Franklin has been named as one of the best small southern states in which to live.

This memorial, like in so many small towns, is one that honors sons and daughters of many wars. Those listed here, eight in all, may also be found on a separate Vietnam memorial located elsewhere in Franklin. I will write about that one in the next post.

This one can be found on the corner of Cedar and Main, on the Cedar Street side of the building. Individual bricks are found interspersed along the walkway.