A memorial statue to Vietnam veterans, created by a local man who served during the Vietnam era, was unveiled in a ceremony at the Samuel J. Churchill United States Army Reserve Center, 2100 Iowa Street, Lawrence, Kansas on November 11th 1988. On Memorial Day, 1989 “The Letter” was permanently located on the grounds in front of the reserve center.
“The Letter” is a bronze and stone sculpture created by John Smither, a U.S. Navy veteran from Lawrence, Kansas. His artwork depicts the battlefield memorial scenes that took place for fallen U.S. forces in Vietnam. “The Letter” includes a plaque listing the names of Lawrence-area veterans who served and died in Vietnam.
The Letter was paid for through local fund-raising efforts. “The Letter” was damaged by vandals a few months after it’s dedication. Mr. Smither’s, the sculptor repaired “The Letter” and a lighting system was installed.
The plaque on the statue reads:
THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD,
AS WE THAT ARE LEFT GROW OLD.
AGE SHALL NOT WITHER THEM,
NOR SHALL THE YEARS CONDEMN.
AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN
AND IN THE MORNING
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.”
~ LAURENCE BINYON
For more information on these honored soldiers, click on their name.
PFC DONALD ROBERT BOWMAN, U.S. ARMY
SN RICHARD EUGENE BOYD, U.S. NAVY
CPL RAYMOND VENSON BROWNING, U.S. ARMY
PFC JAMES RAYMOND COOPER, U.S. MARINE CORPS
SA WILLIAM R. DENNIS III, U.S. NAVY
SSG DONALD EUGENE DILLION, U.S. MARINE CORPS
CPT DAVID PARKER GIBSON, U.S. ARMY
1LT LYNNFORD HARLOW HIGLEY, U.S. ARMY
WO MARK RICHARD HOLTOM, U.S. ARMY
PFC GARY DALE JOHNSON, U.S. ARMY
SGT LONNIE GUY LE BOMBARB, U.S. ARMY
1LT ARLEN DEL RICHARDSON, U.S. ARMY
PFC DELBERT LEROY RYAN, U.S. ARMY
LCPL LONNIE DALE SNOW, U.S. MARINE CORPS
PFC TIMOTHY ALLEN MOHLER, U.S. ARMY
The information below was extracted from the Wall on the Web Page.
This link should be visited by all: LINK TO THE WALL ON THE WEB
— General / Personal —
Last name: BOWMAN
First name: DONALD ROBERT
Home of Record (official): LAWRENCE
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Monday, November 24, 1947
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
— Military —
Branch: Army
Rank: PFC
Serial Number: 55987932
Component: Selective Service
Pay grade: E3
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 11B10
— Action —
Start of Tour: Sunday, December 24, 1967
Date of Casualty: Thursday, February 8, 1968
Age at time of loss: 20
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Gun, small arms fire (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Dinh Tuong
The Wall: Panel 38E – Row 021
— General / Personal —
Last name: BOYD
First name: RICHARD EUGENE
Home of Record (official): LAWRENCE
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Sunday, July 23, 1944
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
— Military —
Branch: Navy
Rank: SN
Serial Number: 5998868
Component: Regular
Pay grade: E3
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): SN
— Action —
Start of Tour: Unknown/Not reported
Date of Casualty: Monday, March 25, 1968
Age at time of loss: 23
Casualty type: (C1) Non-hostile, died of other causes
Reason: Unknown / Not reported (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Quang Nam
The Wall: Panel 46E – Row 014
— General / Personal —
Last name: BROWNING
First name: RAYMOND VENSON
Home of Record (official): LAWRENCE
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Tuesday, August 6, 1946
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
— Military —
Branch: Army
Rank: CPL
Serial Number: 55986971
Component: Selective Service
Posthumous promotion as indicated
Pay grade: E3
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 11B10
— Action —
Start of Tour: Friday, July 28, 1967
Date of Casualty: Thursday, October 12, 1967
Age at time of loss: 21
Casualty type: (C1) Non-hostile, died of other causes
Reason: Unknown / Not reported (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Bien Hoa
The Wall: Panel 27E – Row 093
— General / Personal —
Last name: COOPER
First name: JAMES RAYMOND
Home of Record (official): LAWRENCE
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Friday, August 1, 1947
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
— Military —
Branch: Marine Corps
Rank: PFC
Serial Number: 2240185
Component: Regular
Pay grade: E2
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 0351
— Action —
Start of Tour: Unknown/Not reported
Date of Casualty: Wednesday, May 10, 1967
Age at time of loss: 19
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Gun, small arms fire (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Quang Nam
The Wall: Panel 19E – Row 079
— General / Personal —
Last name: DENNIS
First name: WILLIAM R III
Home of Record (official): LAWRENCE
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Sunday, July 7, 1946
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
— Military —
Branch: Navy
Rank: SA
Serial Number: 9993247
Component: Regular
Pay grade: E2
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): FTGSA
— Action —
Start of Tour: Unknown/Not reported
Date of Casualty: Saturday, March 18, 1967
Age at time of loss: 20
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Gun, small arms fire (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Gia Dinh
The Wall: Panel 16E – Row 104
— General / Personal —
Last name: DILLON
First name: DONALD EUGENE
Home of Record (official): LAWRENCE
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Sunday, August 12, 1934
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Married
— Military —
Branch: Marine Corps
Rank: SSG
Serial Number: 1383225
Component: Regular
Pay grade: E6
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 3516
— Action —
Start of Tour: Unknown/Not reported
Date of Casualty: Thursday, July 6, 1967
Age at time of loss: 32
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Artillery, rocket, mortar (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Quang Tri
The Wall: Panel 23E – Row 017
— General / Personal —
Last name: GIBSON
First name: DAVID PARKER
Home of Record (official): LAWRENCE
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Monday, February 20, 1939
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Married
— Military —
Branch: Army
Rank: CPT
Serial Number: O5307215
Component: Reserve
Pay grade: O3
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 1542
— Action —
Start of Tour: Saturday, February 25, 1967
Date of Casualty: Saturday, April 8, 1967
Age at time of loss: 28
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Gun, small arms fire (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Binh Dinh
The Wall: Panel 17E – Row 121
— General / Personal —
Last name: HIGLEY
First name: LYNNFORD HARLOW
Home of Record (official): LAWRENCE
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Wednesday, May 22, 1946
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Married
— Military —
Branch: Army
Rank: 1LT
Serial Number: O5338837
Component: Reserve
Pay grade: O2
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 1980
— Action —
Start of Tour: Sunday, July 28, 1968
Date of Casualty: Thursday, January 9, 1969
Age at time of loss: 22
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Air loss – Crashed on land (Pilot – Fixed wing aircraft)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Quang Duc
The Wall: Panel 35W – Row 060
— General / Personal —
Last name: HOLTOM
First name: MARK RICHARD
Home of Record (official): BALDWIN CITY
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Saturday, March 26, 1949
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
— Military —
Branch: Army
Rank: WO
Serial Number: 556686921
Component: Reserve
Pay grade: W1
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 100B
— Action —
Start of Tour: Monday, March 30, 1970
Date of Casualty: Saturday, September 26, 1970
Age at time of loss: 21
Casualty type: (C1) Non-hostile, died of other causes
Reason: Air loss – Crashed on land (Crew member – Helicopter)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Long Khanh
The Wall: Panel 07W – Row 093
— General / Personal —
Last name: JOHNSON
First name: GARY DALE
Home of Record (official): BALDWIN CITY
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Thursday, November 6, 1947
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
— Military —
Branch: Army
Rank: PFC
Serial Number: 55988342
Component: Selective Service
Pay grade: E3
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 11B10
— Action —
Start of Tour: Monday, January 8, 1968
Date of Casualty: Friday, February 16, 1968
Age at time of loss: 20
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Burns (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Gia Dinh
The Wall: Panel 39E – Row 061
— General / Personal —
Last name: LE BOMBARB
First name: LONNIE GUY
Home of Record (official): LAWRENCE
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Wednesday, October 30, 1946
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
— Military —
Branch: Army
Rank: SGT
Serial Number: 55984170
Component: Selective Service
Pay grade: E5
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 11B40
— Action —
Start of Tour: Sunday, April 2, 1967
Date of Casualty: Friday, February 9, 1968
Age at time of loss: 21
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Gun, small arms fire (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Quang Nam
The Wall: Panel 38E – Row 054
— General / Personal —
Last name: RICHARDSON
First name: ARLEN DEL
Home of Record (official): LAWRENCE
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Saturday, February 6, 1943
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Married
— Military —
Branch: Army
Rank: 1LT
Serial Number: 511440662
Component: National Guard
Pay grade: O2
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 1981
— Action —
Start of Tour: Thursday, January 8, 1970
Date of Casualty: Tuesday, February 17, 1970
Age at time of loss: 27
Casualty type: (C1) Non-hostile, died of other causes
Reason: Air loss – Crashed on land (Pilot – Helicopter)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Quang Ngai
The Wall: Panel 13W – Row 025
— General / Personal —
Last name: RYAN
First name: DELBERT LEROY
Home of Record (official): LAWRENCE
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Sunday, April 15, 1945
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
— Military —
Branch: Army
Rank: PFC
Serial Number: 55823500
Component: Selective Service
Pay grade: E3
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 11B20
— Action —
Start of Tour: Friday, January 28, 1966
Date of Casualty: Thursday, June 2, 1966
Age at time of loss: 21
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Gun, small arms fire (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Unknown/Not Reported
The Wall: Panel 07E – Row 132
— General / Personal —
Last name: SNOW
First name: LONNIE DALE
Home of Record (official): LAWRENCE
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Thursday, December 23, 1943
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
— Military —
Branch: Marine Corps
Rank: LCPL
Serial Number: 2083151
Component: Regular
Pay grade: E3
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 0331
— Action —
Start of Tour: Unknown/Not reported
Date of Casualty: Friday, July 30, 1965
Age at time of loss: 21
Casualty type: (C1) Non-hostile, died of other causes
Reason: Other causes (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Quang Nam
The Wall: Panel 02E – Row 046
— General / Personal —
Last name: MOHLER
First name: TIMOTHY ALLEN
Home of Record (official): QUENEMO
State (official): KS
Date of Birth: Saturday, November 27, 1948
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Married
— Military —
Branch: Army
Rank: PFC
Serial Number: 509547182
Component: Selective Service
Pay grade: E3
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 11B20
— Action —
Start of Tour: Friday, June 6, 1969
Date of Casualty: Tuesday, August 19, 1969
Age at time of loss: 20
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Gun, small arms fire (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Quang Nam
The Wall: Panel 19W – Row 071
