The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 623 will dedicate a monument, “The Order of the Silver Rose,” on July 30 at 11:30 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Matamoras.
The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 623 will dedicate a monument, “The Order of the Silver Rose,” on July 30 at 11:30 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Matamoras.
The park is located at the end of 6th Street off Route 6/209.
It is meant to stand as a tribute to soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice because of exposure to “Agent Orange.”
The monument is a duplicate of the marble used for the Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C. One of the inscriptions reads “They gave their tomorrows for your todays.”
Millions of gallons of “Agent Orange,” a herbicide defoliant, were sprayed over Vietnam. At the time, it was never thought that doing this simple act would have long-term effects for service members. Diseases linked to Agent Orange are deemed long and terminal for many people. Now 41 years later, struggles with Agent Orange exposure is still not over.
“The effects of this exposure have now been linked to spinal bifida in our children,” says Tom Ryan, 1st Air Calvary Division, member of the VVA Chapter 623. “It is our belief that more links have yet to be identified and it will continue with our grandchildren and who knows after that.”
Exposure to Agent Orange doesn’t just affect those who were in the specific areas where it was sprayed. There is a good chance for others as well because of overspraying, wind drifts, food and water contamination, plus the high incidence of unrecorded sprayings. Ryan explains that even Vietnamese people are suffering terribly and are still being exposed to Agent Orange.
The Tri State Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 623 is hosting the dedication ceremony of the Silver Rose Monument. Other attendees include Honor Guards-American Legion Milford Post 139, American Legion Dingmans Ferry Post 851, American Legion Bushkill Post 514, American Legion Matamoras Post 486, Vietnam Veterans of American Middletown, Veterans of Foreign Wars Milford; Flag Escort Honor Guard-Marine Corps League Gung Ho detachment; Flag Raising Honor Guard-82nd Airborne Division; Lead Flag Escort-Rich Diaz (Combat Motorcycle Veterans Association), Pike County Sheriff Phil Bueki; Primary Flag Escort-Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association; Rider Groups-Legion Riders, Buffalo Soldiers East Stroudsburg; Speakers: Representing the Order of the Silver Rose-Anthony Jimenez, Vietnam, 1st Calvary Division; Representing Governor Corbett-Brigadier General James R. Joseph; Congressman Thomas Marino; State Senator Lisa Baker; State Representative Mike Peifer; State Representative Rosemary Brown; Pike County Commissioner Rich Caridi, Chairman; Pike County Commissioner Karl Wagner; Pike County Commissioner Kathy Hummel; and Matamoras Mayor Richard Gassmann. Other attendees include Milford Mayor Fean and Milford Borough Counsel.
The monument dedication will take place on July 30 at 11:30 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Matamoras.
“We want to remember our fallen and the rest who are still dying from Agent Orange exposure,” says Ryan.
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