New Vietnam War memorial makes stop in the Foothills
A new memorial honoring Marines and sailors who were killed in the Vietnam War and were part of the “Fighting Fifth” Marine Regiment got closer to its final destination at Camp Pendleton, Calif., after making a brief stop in the Foothills on Tuesday for a change of escorts.
The 50-ton monument, named the 5th Marines Vietnam War Memorial, is being escorted across the country by contingents of Patriot Guard Riders from each state it passes through.
Tuesday’s stop, which happened at the Flying J Truck Stop, was so Patriot Guard Riders from Yuma and other parts of Arizona could switch out with riders from California, who will take the monument for the last leg of what will be it’s 3,279-mile journey.
“We are going to escort them to the California border then peel off so they can take it the rest of the way,” said Steve McRoberts, who served as the Patriot Guard Rider’s national coordinator. “It came through all the states with a Patriot Rider escort. The participation level has been incredible all across the country.”
McRoberts, who is also the ride captain and senior road guard for the Arizona Patriot Guard Riders, explained that the California riders will be escorting the monument to Dana Point, where it will remain for the night. Police have also been involved in the escort.
The monument, which is being transported in sections on three flatbed trucks — each driven
by a veteran, began its crosscountry journey on March 22 when it left Rock of Ages, a granite quarry in Barre, Vermont.
It is slated to arrive at Camp Pendleton on March 29, which has been named National Vietnam War Veterans Day by President Donald Trump. According to McRoberts it will be installed in the 5th Marine Regiment Memorial Garden on Memorial Day at the Camp San Mateo section of the base, nestled between shrines to Marines and sailors who fought in Iraq, Afghanistan and Korea.
“It is been quite an honor to take part in this,” McRoberts said.
The monument has six panels honoring the 2,706 Marines, Navy corpsmen and a chaplain who died in Vietnam while serving in the 5th Marine Regiment. Their names will be etched on the panels surrounding a 14-foot-tall black granite spire.
It also will include the names of Marines and sailors who died as part of the 2nd Battalion, Fourth Marines.
The image of the iconic battle cross — helmet, rifle, bayonet and boots — will be etched on all four sides of the granite. The monument will have a combat chronology of the 5th Marines during the Vietnam War.
The 5th Marines, the most highly decorated regiment in the Marine Corps, deployed March 5, 1966, to Vietnam. They remained there for five years, until April 1971.
Among the names are 13 Marines awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor for personal acts of valor.
McRoberts added that the Patriot Guard Riders from Arizona met with fellow Patriot Guard Riders from Texas and New Mexico on Tuesday in San Simon, where they took over their stage of the escort.
“We had five guys who left Southern California on Friday and rode all the way to El Paso to take part,” McRoberts said. “And they are going to go all the way to Camp Pendleton.”