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Shannon Mann of Stafford looks at the name of her husband, Jason Mann, who died July 17 in Afghanistan.
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Families, dignitaries and others gather before yesterday's dedication of the Fredericksburg Area War Memorial. |
By DAN TELVOCK
Walter Henry Cloe III was a Marine who was very tight with his family.
He regularly sent his parents letters while fighting in the Korean War.
But there were no letters in the mail during the weeks before Thanksgiving in 1950.
His mother, Mattie Maie Cloe, thought her son was just too busy to write.
But as time passed, she suspected that something was wrong.
She called the War Department, and that's when the family found out that the 6-foot-4-inch, sandy-haired Marine was missing in action.
In January 1951, the family found out through letters from other Marines that he had injured his ankle and died fighting Chinese troops at the Chosin Reservoir. His remains were never recovered.
"He got caught behind enemy lines," said his sister, Pat Tluchak. "Because of his disability, he couldn't go very far."
Walter Henry Cloe III is one of the 400 fallen servicemen whose names are engraved on granite pillars that make up the Fredericksburg Area War Memorial.
Hundreds of local residents and dignitaries gathered yesterday morning at the monument site, on an island bounded by Liberty, Barton and George streets.
Under a blazing sun in high humidity, they paid tribute to those who helped keep this country free.
The monument is a permanent memorial to residents of this area who died fighting in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Four of the pillars are engraved with names; the other two are left bare, and those in attendance yesterday hope they will stay that way.
'a wonderful person'
Marine Maj. Edwin George Nelson was a pilot. He was 31 years old when he was killed during a bombing raid on Pyongyang, North Korea, in December 1952.
His remains were never found.
"He was killed very young, and he left me that Christmas with three baby girls, ages 1, 2 and 3," said his widow, Janet.
Nelson was tall and handsome. His wife said he resembled actor Errol Flynn.
When he was at war, she heard from him only by mail.
"He did not discuss the war with me, except to say that he was lonesome," she said. "He was a wonderful person."
When Nelson got the telegram saying that her husband had died, she visited her minister at St. George's Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg to pray.
"I didn't know where else to turn," she said. "What do you do when you have three little babies?"
The monument helps bring much-needed peace to Nelson and her three daughters.
"This really acts as a funeral service for me, because his mother had a memorial service for him in Kansas City," Nelson said. "I kept thinking I would get a body back or some remains, and I never did."
One of Nelson's daughters, Amy Warren, said the remains of more than 8,000 servicemen from the Korean War have not been found. She said U.S. search and rescue teams are ready to help, but the rift between the United States and North Korea has kept that effort at bay.
'Froggy' had big smile
Adam Fargo loved to play soccer so much that even a sharp kick to the throat didn't keep him away from the game.
However, it did make his voice a bit lower than normal, which explains the nickname "Froggy."
He grew up in a military family, but he didn't immediately enlist when he came of age. He won an $8,000 scholarship and attended George Mason University.
His father, Doug Fargo, said that sitting in a classroom most of the day was not the way his son wanted to learn.
That's when Adam Fargo decided he would join the Army. Fargo was a medic in the 101st Airborne Division.
On July 22, 2006, Fargo was killed by an advanced improvised explosive device while he was driving a vehicle near Baghdad. He was 22.
"His friends would tell you he was the kind of guy that would always have your back," Doug Fargo said. "He always had a big smile."
Doug Fargo said many friends and family members were touched by yesterday's ceremony.
"We can't hold and touch our son anymore, so at this point in time, you have what you remember," he said. "But it really makes you feel good when somebody else remembers."
Lending An Ear
It seemed that with each step Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine took, he met someone who had lost a loved one in war.
As one of the dignitaries at the ceremony, he posed for photographs and shook many hands.
Maybe most importantly, he listened.
Kaine said family members of fallen servicemen told him how proud they are of their loved ones.
"Obviously, there is still a sense of loss, but something like this is really helpful because a sense of loss can sometimes be an isolating thing," Kaine said. "Something like this shows that the community is supporting them, and that's really important to the family members."
Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438
Email: dtelvock@freelancestar.com
"I think it is going to be a place that a lot of people will come "For years to come people "Through our efforts, both great and small, we not only honor those whose names are carved on these granite pillars, but also instill in our children "It is nice to know that people remember us. So many times, people who serve are taken for granted. To me, it is a feeling of pride, that I was there and my people were there, and I am proud of what I did and what my people did." --Retired Marine Sgt. Maj. Neal King, who fought in World War II, Korea and Vietnam |
