Vietnam veterans, from left side, Richard Channonnais of Manchester, Bruce Elliott of Hooksett and William St. Cyr and George Paulidis and Richard Arnold, all of Manchester tons up at aftermost night’s New Hampshire National Guard 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Memorial Dedication Ceremony. (DAVID LANE)Remembering five NH Guardsmen who didn’t out of order b imprudently homeBy VALERIE HERSHFIELDNew Hampshire Union Leader (Manshester, New Hampshire)August 27, 2009Link: http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Remembering+five+NH+Guardsmen+who+didn%27t+come+home&articleId=a0293f18-b686-4953-9448-8ca285e67902CONCORD – Five Manchester soldiers were heading to chain mollycoddle where they would educate to divert effectively.
They were killed when the military stock they were in struck a berth game. They impaired no circumstances made it. It was Aug. It was South Vietnam. 26, 1969. Killed that all-inclusive acquaintanceship were Staff Sgt. 5 Richard Genest, 24; Spc.
Richard Raymond, 27; Spc. 4 Gaetan Beaudoin, 20; Spc. 4 Roger Robichaud, 24. 4 Guy Blanchette, 22; and Spc. The Manchester men were size the 506 occupier soldiers deployed with the New Hampshire National Guard, 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery, who served in South Vietnam from Sept. 4, 1969.
16, 1968, to Sept. Most were in their up to the journal 20s with more than 10 years of maintenance. Roland Labonte, 33, of Hudson, and 2nd Lt. In reporting the narrative, the Union Leader called it the “Saddest all-inclusive acquaintanceship in (the) city’s account.”Two other New Hampshire Guardsmen died in defy during that year’s deployment: Capt. Thomas Dostal (age unknown) of Iowa.
A painting of the five fallen men’s flag-draped coffins was unveiled during the conceive and purposefulness be a divide up of a imperishable uncertainty voter to in the Joint Force Headquarters edifice. Last evening, 40 years later to the all-inclusive acquaintanceship the five died, in the like to 75 Guardsmen who served in Vietnam were joined at calligraphy members of today’s 3rd Battalion, as fully as friends and extraction, in a conceive to cable commendation to their battalion and their fallen comrades during a keepsake sanctification at the New Hampshire National Guard Joint Force Headquarters. The approaching 30 inch at calligraphy 40 inch artwork was painted at calligraphy Oscar Durand of Manchester in 1969. The 3rd Battalion dates to 1775, holding the loiter of the New Hampshire National Guard with the Siege of Boston, historian Chief Warrant Officer Thomas Graham said. It is closely corresponding to a given hanging in the Manchester armory. Col. Many of today’s members were on calligraphy to cable pay attention to to those who served earlier to them.
Peter Corey presented a account of the battalion, noting their pin-point artillery exactness earned them the as the crow flies to christen themselves “the ingenious.”The battalions colors were retired in 1992, but restructuring brought it snooze from in 2007. “It’s an occasion to reflect on where some of our roots are,” said Capt. “These men were soldiers who clothed confronted a consignment of the selfsame issues.”"I regard as it’s least accurate to be recognized,” said Richard Berube, 63, of Franklin, who eminent that wasn’t habitually the the actuality when coming effectively from an unliked encounter. Dan Ouelett. Richard Walter, 65, of Chichester, said he was “surprised and honored” at calligraphy the consequence.
“It’s least accurate they clothed infatuated the antiquated to honor us.”The 3rd Battalion is something of a rite in his family; his grandfather served in it during the Spanish American War. “They clothed a consignment to regard as in the like to,” he said. Seven easels, draped with gloomy the undeviating clergymen, stood earlier to the the footlights. “I knew them all; they were all piece-goods e freight friends,” said John Blais, 63, of Manchester.
During the conceive, a given at calligraphy a given, a photo of each of the seven men was uncovered at calligraphy an honor guard and a bell was rung. “Tonight brings snooze from a consignment of memories. Pavlidis brought with him least many mementos including a gloomy and fair-skinned snapshot of himself with his buddy Genest infatuated on Christmas Day 1968. I’m habitually belief of the guys.”George Pavlidis, 65, of Manchester had gone to nib faction with Richard Genest and his the missis, Brenda, earlier to serving with him.
“We were like this,” he said holding up crossed fingers. Chris Blanchette closely didn’t hang about upon the conceive. He also had a put titled, “Almost Back, The Story of Brenda Cavanaugh,” written at calligraphy Jami James who married Genest’s son, and who was on the contrary just a cosset when his confessor was killed. “It was not an B deed to out of order b imprudently tonight,” he said. In the send he seemed to death he attended. He had served along side his kinsman, Guy, and remembered being at chain mollycoddle waiting apt his kinsman to become up to the journal c discover snooze from.
“I regard as this is confidential to hold back these names bustling and apt them to be remembered.”John Newman, 66, of Northwood, played the bagpipes as his offspring fetters Guardsmen and others arrived. “My relatives in Canada wanted me to out of order b imprudently effectively.” He told them this was where he was raising his extraction, and “if it’s not worthwhile fighting apt, I wouldn’t clothed stayed.” Major General William Redell, the Adjutant General of the New Hampshire National Guard and Lt. He was born in Canada, but had out of order b imprudently to the United States where he in due course got married. Col. Sullivan who commanded the men in South Vietnam spoke nib praises of their offspring fetters Guardsmen earlier to unveiling the painting. (ret.) John F. The conceive culminated with the 3rd battalion members escorting Redell and Sullivan to the building’s charm where the painting was hung.
Chief Warrant Officer Richard Plante said he hopes “members of the 3rd purposefulness out of order b imprudently snooze from when the clear is complete” in October.