Published: September 15, 2007 10:48 pm         

Courthouse benches honor Vietnam veterans

More than 80 people attend ceremony to dedicate benches

TERRE HAUTE — A special project that was started a few years has finally come to fruition.

Benches that will serve as a tribute to Mark Houston, Leslie McKillop, Mike Ash and Mike Chaney, Vietnam War veterans who died while serving.

Between 80 and 100 people attended the benches’ dedication Saturday afternoon on the Vigo County Courthouse’s lawn.

Mike Huddleson and Paul Mason, also veterans and classmates with the four from their days at Garfield High School, helped raise money for the benches.

Huddleson helped raise money for the Houston/McKillop bench by accepting donations from the Garfield High School class of 1967.

Although Mason, a Vigo County commissioner, wasn’t surprised by the outpouring of donations he received for the Ash/Chaney bench from members of the Garfield class of 1966, he was surprised by the turnout for the dedication.

“ … When you ask for a little bit of help from the people of Vigo County, they’ll step up to the plate …,” Mason said. “For the people to come out from the community on a day that everything else is going on in Vigo County just to appreciate those that lost their lives for our country, for us …”

As a member of the class of 1967 and as someone who knew Houston and McKillop, Sen. Tim Skinner, D-Terre Haute, spoke at the dedication.

“Let this memorial stand for our grandchildren and their children to honor them for making the ultimate sacrifice for their country,” he told the crowd.

Mason, who was best friends with Ash and Chaney, spoke as the class of 1966 representative.

He spoke about some of the good times he shared with his friends.

“We lived for weekends,” he said. “… We just loved life.”

After telling a few more anecdotes, he said, tearing up, “To all the Vietnam veterans, no matter where you’re at, welcome home.”

Some poems and comments from friends and families of the deceased followed, and by the time the special music of “50,000 Names (Carved in the Wall)” played many audience members were crying.

Bret Houston, the youngest of the Houston family, was glad to see the benches finally in place.

“I’m pleased to see everybody,” he said. “I hope this is something that grows and catches on and continues in Terre Haute. It means a lot to the families.”

Huddleson’s wife, Helen, also helped with the fundraising. She was also surprised by the turnout and thankful.

She said the benches were long overdue for recognition of the classmates.

They are still receiving donations and hope to use the money to put up a monument with Dr. David Hay’s poem, “The Wall,” engraved on it.

For Mason, these benches are just the beginning of something bigger.

He said he hopes to be able to somehow connect the Vietnam Memorial Plaza with the county’s Vietnam memorial, but this is still in the discussion stages.

Still, having the memorial at all is important so that the veterans have a place to go to think. He said it could be a good way for them to heal.

“This might be just the start of a healing point for some of the veterans,” he said. “Some of the Vietnam veterans are holding a lot of things inside and maybe this is just a start for them to be more open about maybe what happened and get it off their chest, but I think this is the healing process.”

Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.