Should Taunton school be renamed after war hero? Here's what his fellow Marines say.
TAUNTON — Is it time to change the name of East Taunton Elementary School to something less generic?
That is the proposal brought forth by the Taunton Area Vietnam Veterans Association (TAVVA) who has requested the school be renamed after a fallen war hero: Raymond LaPointe.
Members of the Association came before the Taunton School Committee on March 1 during its public input period to present the proposal.
TAVVA Vice President Dennis Proulx said the Vietnam War was a “controversial war” and some would like it to fade into history.
“It should never be forgotten. Soldiers fought and died for their country, just like previous wars,” he said, adding that of the estimated American 58,000-plus soldiers confirmed to have died during the war, 13 of them were from Taunton.
Lance Corporal Raymond Roland LaPointe was one of them. From East Taunton, he was killed by North Vietnamese fire on Sept. 10, 1967.
Who was Raymond LaPointe and how did he die?
Proulx described LaPointe’s service in Vietnam, according to both military records and testimonial from surviving soldiers in his unit.
“He went far beyond the call of duty,” he said.
LaPointe enlisted in the U.S. Marines after graduating from Taunton High School. Nicknamed “Frenchie” by his platoon, LaPointe was part of the 3rd Battalion of the 26th Marines. For several days, the 3rd Battalion was hit heavy by the North Vietnamese Army but held their position just outside the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam.
Hundreds of Marines' lives across the whole the Battalion were lost, according to Proulx, but “they weren’t pulling back. They remained there fighting.”
Proulx brought for the School Committee emails from fellow soldiers who were in 3rd Battalion during the battle, from Sept. 7-10, 1967, and who vividly remember LaPointe. Some of these emailed testimonials were also posted on TAVVA's Facebook page.
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'If not for this heroic action': Testimonials from fellow Marines
Sgt. Don Provonsha, who was squad leader for 2nd Platoon, said LaPointe “was dug in” when the North Vietnamese tried to push through on Sept. 10. According to Provonsha, LaPointe and two other marines, David Reasoner and John McDaniel, stood their ground and “had expended all of their ammo and their grenades,” to the point where they eventually resorted to hand-to-hand combat.
“Their actions enabled reinforcements to consolidate our perimeter again and [provide] supporting fire to repel the enemy. If not for this heroic action we may have been completely wiped out,” said Corporal Calvin Wheeler, who also submitted testimonial via e-mail in support of LaPointe.
LaPointe was only 19 when he was killed in action.
In May 2021, the city of Taunton and the Taunton Area Vietnam Veterans Association dedicated a ceremonial plaque to LaPointe at Pine Hill Cemetery.
In November of that same year, the LaPointe family gravestone was cleaned, updated with Raymond Lapointe’s name and newly memorialized by the city at St. James Cemetery.
“He should be part of Taunton’s history. His spirit, bravery, courage and patriotism should echo through halls of the school to remind all those who attend who he was and what he did for his country,” Proulx told the School Committee.
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What happens next?
Because the proposal was part of public input and not part of the School Committee’s agenda, no member of the committee could comment.
According to the policy manual for Taunton Public Schools, The School Committee has the authority to approve the naming and renaming of all buildings, facilities, and sub-sections located on school property.
The policy further states, “Following the submission of a naming request, the School Committee Chair will specify a consideration period that allows for public comment, following which the Committee will deliberate and vote on the name.”
School board Chair Greg DeMelo told the Gazette the committee will discuss the proposal at a later date.
"In our official capacity as elected officials charged with serving our constituents, we will deliberate on this matter as a group with the utmost respect,” DeMelo said.
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton Vietnam veterans group wants school named for Raymond LaPointe
