Milan memorial would honor casualties of all wars

The Village of Milan is hoping to construct a memorial in the village similiar to the Vietnam Memorial Park in Grants (pictured) that would honor all veterans. [Photo by Jeff Jones/Indpendent]

By Mike Marino
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — America's involvement in Vietnam ended on the embassy rooftops in Saigon in 1975 after more than 50,000 lives were lost. Today, at Friendship Park on Santa Fe Avenue in Grants, a marble and stone monolith with flags punctuating the sky stand in silent tribute to the area's fallen of that conflict.

Visitors to Friendship Park will see five names etched in the marble. LCPL Pat Salazar; Sgt. Jose Montoya; SP4 Gerald Chino; SP4 David Crawford and PFC Albert Curley. All area men killed in action in Vietnam. To honor them, the monument has a semi-circle of five flags ringing the area two New Mexico state flags, two POW-MIA flags and one American flag along with the imbedded symbols of the five armed services.

Plans have been under way to erect a similar monument in Milan. The difference is that the proposed Milan monument will be designed to honor the fallen heroes of the state that have died in the wars and conflicts since New Mexico became a state in 1912.

One of the principals in the Milan project is Hugh Sheldrick, who owns a monument company in Milan. He is one of the three original veterans who organized and helped to erect the Grants memorial.

There is another aspect of the proposed design of the new memorial that has to be taken in consideration. Sheldrick said, "I'm afraid we will have more more wars in the future so we will have to plan ahead so the memorial can be expanded at some point to honor those dead."

With over 3,000 military personnel that have died in Iraq and Afghanistan since those conflicts began, it's looking like the expansion idea is a valid one.

In order to get the project rolling, they are looking for a take charge person to head it up, and when that is in place, they can begin getting the materials to build the memorial. Of course the project will cost money and there are plans for various fund raisers to take place to help attain the goal. Donations and contributions will be welcome by the general public.

Anyone who would like to get involved in the project or to find out more about it can contact Hugh Sheldrick in Milan at (505) 876-6099.