Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 396 holds annual Memorial Day Candle Light Vigil

Clarksville, TN – It is a solemn occasion when a nation gathers together to honor its soldiers, those who lived to come home, but even more importantly those who did not. The body of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Lawrence Woods was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on March 21st of this year. There are 27 remaining missing POW/MIA’s from the State of Tennessee. Each one was honored in a ceremony held in front of the William O. Beach Civic Center at Veterans Plaza in Clarksville Tennessee on Sunday evening.

The Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 396 holds this Memorial Day Vigil each year to remember the men and women who were left behind in Vietnam when American forces left that country in 1975.

The colors were posted as an honor guard of Montgomery Central High School JROTC. Then a single chair representing all of the POW/MIA’s nationwide was placed in a position of honor before the audience. The Pledge of Allegiance was  recited, and a moment of silence was held. Then Rev. Scott Witt delivered the invocation.

The guest speaker for this year was Tennessee State Senator Mark Green. Also on hand were Montgomery County Mayor Carolyn Bowers; Montgomery County Commissioner Ron Sokel; Clarksville City Mayor Kim McMillan; Tennessee State Representative Joe Pitts, Former State Senators Rosalind Kurita, and Tim Barnes; Clarksville City Councilwoman Kaye Jones; Councilman Bill Summers; and several Gold Star Wives.

“We have with us, members of a very special group some of the Gold Star Wives setting in the audience. We are very appreciative of them and their losses, and we appreciate the message that they carry forward,” said Emcee Gary Ezell.

First Clarksville Mayor Kim  McMillian addressed the audience.

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She was followed by Montgomery County Mayor Carolyn Bowers

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 I received the bio of our speaker here just recently. I was extremely impressed with the biography. I am not sure that I could list all of the accomplishments in this gentleman’s career.

Dr. Mark Green currently serves as a Tennessee State Senator representing District 22 which comprises Houston Montgomery and Stewart Counties. He also served on the Commerce and Labor Committee, The Senate Judiciary Committee, and the State and Local Government Committee.

In his professional life he is President and CEO of AlignMD, an emergency department and urgent care management and staffing company here in Clarksville. He also founded the AlignMD foundation which provides healthcare to underserved populations of the world.

Dr. Green graduated from high school in Monticello Mississippi, and we forgive him for that because it was not his choice. In 1986 he graduated from West Point with a degree in business management. In addition Mark has a master certificate from USC and we forgive him for that. He has his medical degree Wright State University in Dayton Ohio.

His military career began as an Infantry Officer. From 87 and 90 he served several assignments for the 194th Separate Armored Brigade in Fort Knox, Kentucky. Following completion of his Advanced Officers Course Capt. Green served as a battalion supply officer and as an airborne rifle company commander in the famed 82nd Airborne Division. During his last assignment as an active duty soldier, he served as the emergency department director from Fort Campbell Kentucky’s Blanchfield Army community Hospital. He wanna was there for patient satisfaction and efficiency.

His many military awards include the Bronze Star, the Air Medal, the Air Medal with V Device for Valor under heavy enemy fire, the other metals are too numerous to mention. He also received many awards for combat and combat unit service.

In 1989 he married the love of his life Ms. Camilla Joy Guenther. They have two children Alexa and Mitchell.

Green kicked off his speech.

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After Green finished Gary Ezell returned to the podium and began honoring the POW/MIA’s from Tennessee.

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During the ceremony, The 27 names were slowly read aloud, the bell pealed, as someone in the background intoned “Absent, but not forgotten.” The flame was lit. The empty chair, draped with a POW/MIA shirt and a placard, identifying the missing solider that it represented, was carried forward by a Montgomery Central JROTC, cadet who once it was in place stepped up before it, and rendered a silent salute.

The POW/MIA chair was retired followed by the colors. Then Rev. Scott Witt delivered the benediction closing out the ceremony.

Remembering these missing soldiers is indeed a solemn duty, and one that patriotic Clarksvillians are only too happy to undertake.

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The POW/MIA’s

Below are the names of the missing Tennesseans. We offer our fervent hope that they too all find their way home once more.

1^st Lieutenant John R. Baldridge Jr.
USAF
Memphis, TN
November 20^th 1969

Lance Corporal James A. Benton
USMC
Daisy, TN
April 27^th 1967

Specialist 4^th Class Dwight A. Bremmer
U.S. Army
Oakland, TN
December 14^th 1971

Specialist 4^th Class James A. Brown
U.S. Army
Humbolt, TN
August 12, 1970

Lieutenant Colonel Donald F. Casey
USAF
Chattanooga, TN
June 23^rd 1968

Sergeant Echol W. Coalston Jr.
U.S. Army
Memphis, TN
January 21^st 1968

Corporal James B. Conway
U.S. Army
Franklin, TN
April 13^th 1966

1^st Lieutenant Larry W. Cotton
USAF
Nashville, TN
March 9^th 1970

Lieutenant Commander Carroll O. Crain Jr.
U.S. Navy
Memphis, TN
March 8^th 1967

Lance Corporal Richard H. Dallas
USMC
Memphis, TN
April 27^th 1967

Private First Class Joe L. Delong
U.S. Army
McMinnville, TN
May 18^th 1967

Specialist 4^th Class Billy J. Ellis
U.S. Army
Elizabethton, TN
January 3^rd 1968

Sergeant Donald P. Gervais
U.S. Army
Clarksville, TN
May 1^st 1968

1^st Lieutenant Gary A. Glandon
USAF
Powell, TN
May 26^th 1966

Seaman Apprentice Thomas A. Goetsch
U.S. Navy
Memphis, TN
September 17, 1972

Captain Lucius L. Heiskell
USAF
Memphis, TN
February 6^th 1967

Specialist 4^th Class Jerry A. Hiemer
U.S. Army
Memphis, TN
November 11^th 1965

Private First Class James D. Hunter
U.S. Army
Portland, TN
October 29^th 1968

Major Dale A. Johnson
USAF
Elizabethton, TN
November 27^th 1966

1^st Lieutenant Richard C. Lannom
USMC
Union City, TN
March 1^st 1968

Petty Officer 1^st Class James C. Newman Jr.
U.S. Navy
Knoxville, TN
February 6^th 1968

Sergeant Calvin A. Norris
U.S. Army
Monterey, TN
November 3^rd 1970

Major Lawerence B. Tatum
U.S. Army
Chattanooga, TN
September 10^th 1966

Lieutenant Colonel James A. Treece
USAF
Memphis, TN
October 7^th 1966

1^st Lieutenant John T. Welshan
USAF
Oak Ridge, TN
March 3^rd 1968

Colonel David R. Williams
USAF
Memphis, TN
April 1^st 1967

Captain William C. Woods Jr.
USAF
Paris, TN
September 2^nd 1972

Returned in the last year

Staff Sergeant Lawrence Woods
U.S. Army
Clarksville, TN
October 24^th, 1964