In remembrance of... | Community Spirit

Forest Lawn Historian and Vietnam Veteran, Patrick Kavanagh, has researched, organized and compiled “In Remembrance Of,” a book honoring Western New York’s fallen heroes from the Vietnam War. The book includes information on more than 500 men and one woman with direct ties to the eight counties of Western New York who were killed or died while on active duty in Vietnam.

Mr. Kavanagh served as a SP/5 medic in the U.S. Army from 1967-1970, including one year (October 1968-1969) in Vietnam; he was honorably discharged in July 1970. He completed this project “as a labor of love so that those who made the ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

Copies of the book containing newspaper articles, death notices, photos and obituaries will be available for review at the chapel in Forest Lawn for 15 days – one day for each year the U.S. was involved in the Vietnam War.

The public is invited to visit the chapel to review the book and read about our local heroes beginning this Monday, April 30 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. It was on this date in 1975 when the last American servicemen died in the war and the last Marines guarding the U.S. Embassy in Saigon lifted off, signaling the end of the war.

The book will then be on display daily in the Forest Lawn chapel from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. through Monday, May 14.

Forest Lawn volunteers will be on hand during viewing hours to assist the public in locating specific names within the book and with the duplication of any information found about their friends and/or loved ones.

There are 51Vietnam veterans buried at Forest Lawn who were killed during active duty in Vietnam (as well as hundreds more who served in Vietnam but died outside of the 15 years of the Vietnam War or outside of Vietnam); the graves of the 51 have been decorated with U.S. flags during this 15-day period and information about them is included in the book.

To reach the chapel, enter Forest Lawn through the Delaware Avenue or Main Street gates and follow the white line on the road.