There’s a longstanding tradition known to every person who's ever served in the military; to never forget those who’ve sacrificed their life for this country.
One local man knows that and that’s why he took on a mission to ensure a Vietnam War veteran killed in action will forever be remembered.
DECADES AFTER A WOMAN INCOLERAIN TOWNSHIP LOST HERHUSBAND IN THE VIETNAM WAR - ACEREMONY WILL SOON HONOR HISSERVICE AND PROVIDE FURTHERCLOSURE TO THE FAMILY.
IT'SSOMETHING MADE POSSIBLE BYANOTHER VETERAN WHO REALIZEDSOMEONE DROPPED THE BALL.I just wish he was here tocelebrate his 88th birthday.JULY 31ST 1932 THE WORLDWELCOMED I.V.
BOURRAGE.
WHOTURNS OUT WAS A ROMANTIC EVENIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.he usedto send his sisters with anote for me.
He liked me fromthe beginning.EVERTIE SAYSTHEY WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYSAFTER SCHOOL - SHE DIDN'T SEEHIM AGAIN UNTIL HE CAME HOMEON LEAVE FROM THE MARINE CORPSDECEMBER 28TH 1953.I was at mydad's house on a Sunday hecame and he wanted to marryme.
So he asked my dad for myhand in marriage.
142346the first kiss was on thatSunday (laughs) and then wewent to the court house andgot married on Wednesday andhe left on a SaturdayI-V WOULDSERVE FROM 1953 TO 1967 - ITWAS ON HIS SECOND TOUR TOVIETNAM WHEN HE WAS KILLED INACTION.I had his body sentback to Mississippi because itwas ten of them in the familyand I knew if I had him buriedin Washington they'd never beable to attend the grave site.AFTER I-V's DEATH EVERTIEMOVED TO THE CINCINNATI AREATO BE CLOSER TO HERBROTHER....SENDING HER KIDSHERE TO HOUSTON ELEMENTARYSCHOOL.
THIS STONE AND PLAQUEPUT IN PLACE AT THE SCHOOL'SFLAG POLE ON VETERANS DAY 1968TO HONOR THE SOLIDERS INVIETNAM INCLUDING I-V BOURRAGE.at the time I didn't reallyknow didn't really understandand it's more so now.DEBORAHIS I-V's SECOND OLDEST CHILD.SHE AND HER SISTER HARTENSEHAVE FEW MEMORIES OF THEIRFATHER AS THEY WERE SO YOUNGWHEN HE WAS KILLED.
I havepictures sitting on his lap inhis arms..
There's a pictureof my father he's holding meand I'm a baby....and I lookat the background and I try toremember and I really don'tremember.THERE WERE PLANS TOEVENTUALLY PUT I-V's NAME ONTHE MONUMENT.
I came up hereon Memorial Day and it wasn'tdone.THAT'S WHEN CHRIS GREENTHE PRESIDENT OF THE COLERAINVETERANS MEMORIAL TOOK MATTERSINTO HIS OWN HANDS AND PAIDI-V's WIDOW A VISIT.
She seenthe certificate in my hand andstarted smiling and opened thedoor I saw my husband's namein his hand IV Bourrage so Ismiled and he said may I comein.
And I said sure.A FEWPHONE CALLS AND A LITTLE LEGWORK AND THIS PLAQUE WILL NOWADORN THE STONE AT THE BASE OFTHE FLAG POLE.
It's been 52years they've been waitingthat's long enough I regret myfathers' death I'm thankful westill have my mom and I justlook at god what he does atthis particular time beingthis is going to happen onJuly 31st on my fathers'birthday it made me feelreally special that they areacknowledging my father inthis way on his birthday...like I said it's not just forhim all veterans who losttheir loves in Vietnam.FOREVERTIE THE PERSONAL MISSIONCHRIS TOOK ON TO MAKE SURE I-VRECEIVED THIS RECOGNITION ISNOTHING SHORT OF A HIGHERPOWER SENDING HER AN ANGEL.that's why I call him mybrother we have differentskin color but we all bleedblood red blood so that's theway I look at he's my friendand I thank god for him.THE CEREMONY WILL TAKE PLACEON JULY 31ST AT 7PM AT HOUSTONELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
EVERYONE ISWELCOME TO ATTEND TO HONOR I-VAS WELL AS OTHER VIETNAM ERAVETERANS WHO PAID THE ULTIMATESACRIFICE FOR
Seventy years after he was killed and missing in action, a Minnesota Korean war veteran was laid to rest, Bill Hudson reports..