A Note from The Virtual Wall

On May 4, 2010 the names of three Soldiers and three Marines were added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. All six men died as a result of wounds sustained within the combat zone during the Vietnam War. The Department of Defense reviews the medical records of service members when requested by families to determine if their name is eligible to be included on the memorial. The six names added to the Wall were: U.S. Army CPT Edward F. Miles, Manhasset, NY SGT Michael J. Morehouse, Covington, KY LTC William L. Taylor, Tampa, FL U.S. Marine Corps LCPL John E. Granville, Los Angeles, CA LCPL Clayton K. Hough Jr., Holyoke, MA CPL Ronald M. Vivona, Suffolk, VA The families of the service members gathered at "the Wall" to join the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, in honoring them at the annual Memorial Day observance May 31, 2010. Family members of five of the six service members being honored gathered and read the names off the wall for the first time during the ceremony. Linda Vivona said her husband's name had been placed on the Wall near comrades who were killed the day he was wounded. "He loved the Marines. He loved his country. And he would be so, so proud to be on the Wall next to people that he fought with." Medical evidence submitted by the Department of the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) indicates that Cpl. Vivona died as a result of wounds (combat or hostile related) sustained in the combat zone. He was a rifleman serving with Marines on Hill 700 near Khe Sanh when his unit was caught in an ambush. He lost both of his legs to a combination of bullets and grenades, but stayed strong and made it back home to the country he loved, said his son at the dedication ceremonies. "He was tough as nails" said his son. "He did so well on the prosthetics that most of my friends just thought he had a bad hip."

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Last update 08/15/2019