Connecticut III

Previously I wrote about the fantastic project undertaken by students at Nathan Hale Middle School in Coventry, Ct. You can find those posts by clicking on Connecticut to the left side of this site. If you have not seen them, they are worth your time and tell quite a story. While learning about their efforts I was blessed to meet one of the principals behind the Connecticut Vietnam memorial, Jean Risely. I returned to Connecticut and met Jean who took me to Nathan Hale to show me some of the other fantastic things the school has done.

Jean explained that the original teacher behind the project was no longer there, but that the legacy of his work, Vietnam vets and, in truth, all vets will be forever remembered in the halls and hearts
of this school, its students and staff.

At one time, before the building of the Connecticut Vietnam memorial this map, painted by students, was the only place in the state that listed all 612 names of the lost or missing.

 The names are listed by year, alphabetically. They begin in 1961 and end in 1979.

Detail

Detail

In addition, to the Connecticut remembrance the students also painted a memorial map honoring all who were lost in 'Nam.

This map lists the numbers from each state, as they were then known. Interestingly it includes Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Samoa. Beyond that it includes something I have never seen before: Nova Scotia and lists 1 as lost. Why this one person from Canada was included is a mystery to me.

Next time, on the 27th, I will post a few more interesting efforts from the students at this remarkable school. Join me then, as always, at 9:00am.



To see other posts from Connecticut, or any other state, click on the states name from the list on the left side of this page.