To the editor:
Honorable Bob Cherry,
I appreciate reading your column in the April 3 edition of the Daily Reporter ("A way to keep honoring veterans," Page A4), and I agree with you to a point. Surely, you are aware of the 1,534 Vietnam KIA Veterans in Indiana alone, not to mention other wars, but since I am truly familiar with this group, there are many KIA that received other medals, but no Purple Heart. Just something to think about.
In addition, what about honor and respect to the mothers, fathers and spouses, whose Veteran has passed on and is interred in an Indiana cemetery. Then, due to lackadaisical maintenance, the marker becomes damaged by either the mowing crew or the backhoe, while digging another grave.
I have been in over 600 cemeteries in Indiana, and I find this most prevalent. I have asked for sit-downs with the governor, but they fell on deaf ears. I have spoken to the MACV Council; no action. I will end with this: "Veterans Deserve Respect on Both Sides of the Dirt!"
Raymond Brown
Greenfield
Raymond Brown is the owner of Mission Restore Bronze Indiana and travels to cemeteries to refurbish military grave markers.
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