Scott Stump had the idea for a Persian Gulf War memorial years ago. But it wasn’t until the 25th anniversary of the 1991 cease-fire arrived – and the Pentagon chose not to hold a single official event marking the day – that he truly realized how important it was.
Their war, it seemed, was at risk of being forgotten.
“This was one of the pivotal events in the nation’s history. While the war ended very quickly, we cannot forget the nearly 400 servicemen who did not come home,†Stump, president and founder of the National Desert Storm War Memorial Association, told FoxNews.com. “We owe it to their families and to all of those who fought to remember.â€
Stump’s group recently obtained congressional approval for the project, and is now working to make that idea – a memorial nestled in the heart of Washington near the iconic memorials for Vietnam, World War II and other wars – a reality.
Designers and planners still have a long road ahead, and the process could take years. The group estimates they need to raise between $25 million and $40 million before the memorial can be built. The funds are being raised entirely from private sources.
Stump, a Marine infantryman who deployed to the Gulf on Dec. 31, 1990, understands that the post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan dominate the national consciousness.
Those wars lasted far longer and involved significantly more casualties, and in a sense still have not ended. But Stump and fellow veterans of Desert Shield and Desert Storm worry about their contribution fading into a historical footnote – and they see this memorial as a way to preserve that in the solemn stretch of enduring monuments across the nation’s capital.
Read more at Fox News
Image courtesy of nationaldesertstormwarmemorial.org
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Yep. Looks like you’ve done your risk assessment and you’ve got to go with that.
Correct, I can’t chance it, look what happened on Endor and Yodas Hood. Darth Pat F’d them all up six ways from Sunday. She is the shaddow who never sleeps. Hehe
Ah, Marine! I couldn’t read that or the Retired, Indef bit. Very wise to obscure identifying info – you never know who might be looking, apart from Darth Pat! I think that new nickname is going to stick 🙂
If your Dad is still around, tell him thanks for his service from me.
Agreed, they were treated like shit. My Dad served in Vietnam in 67-69ish so I have heard much of the same. The ID just indicates USMC Retired, Indefinate, the I obscurred the rest. Don’t want Darth Pat to locate my moon hideout.
Hey, Corporal! Sorry, it’s a bit blurry – what do the other bits say? And the bigger I made the image, the blurrier it got.
Vietnam Vets – wasn’t their treatment absolutely appalling? Not only were they sprayed with Agent Orange (and God knows what else) but, after the gloss of the war wore off, most of the citizenry (of your country and mine) turned on these guys. Called rapists, baby killers etc. I’ve read quite a bit about the experiences of some of those who served in Vietnam and it makes my blood boil!
Take care, A.