Vietnam War memorial needs repairs

Matthew Verrilli, Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
·2 min read
2

Aug. 15—COVENTRY — The Town Council will meet tonight at 7:30 in the Town Hall Annex to discuss repairs needed to the state Vietnam War Memorial, which has shifted on its pedestal.

MEMORIAL REPAIRS

What: The Coventry Town Council will discuss needed repairs to Connecticut Vietnam War Memorial.

When: Tonight at 7:30 in the Town Hall Annex. The meeting will also be accessible via the CoventryVision YouTube channel.

Why: The monument has begun to shift on its pedestal. The estimated cost for repairs is $22,700.

Because of weather and the failure of a waterproof gasket protecting the monument at the Veterans Memorial Green, it now sits 2 inches away from the edge of its pedestal.

"Given the importance of this monument as a testimony from the state of Connecticut to honor and recognize what the Vietnam War Veterans sacrificed, it is upon us to ensure that it stands the test of time," Veterans Memorial and Events Commission Chairman Peter DePaola wrote in a letter to Town Manager John Elsesser.

Including a consultant, repair crew and equipment, the estimated cost to repair the monument is $22,700.

The state recently authorized $30 million through Local Capital Improvement Program grants for repairs and replacements of monuments throughout the state.

The funds are allocated out for the next five years, so the Veterans Memorial and Events Commission would like to explore other methods of funding to repair the monument.

The commission plans to work closely with the state Department of Veterans Affairs, which would evaluate the repair project.

The memorial, dedicated in 2008, is inscribed with the names of 613 Connecticut residents who gave their lives for their country during the Vietnam War.

"The Connecticut Vietnam Veterans Memorial serves as a symbol of Connecticut's honor and recognition of the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War," DePaola wrote.

Jean Risley founded the Connecticut Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee in order to raise money for the monument. Her brother, Robert Tillquist, died in the Pleiku Campaign on Nov. 4, 1965.