“It really hurt:” Las Cruces veterans discuss cost of fixing monument

The City of Las Cruces Parks and Recreation Department met with multiple veterans to determine the cost and logistics of fixing the Vietnam Memorial.

Joe Martinez had the original idea for the monument and poured countless hours into bringing it to fruition.

“My immediate reaction was, as most things would be, anger,” Martinez said. “Who could do this? Why would it happen?”

Las Cruces Police charged two teenagers for vandalizing the memorial this month. Four letters were stolen from the message: “Vietnam Memorial: Heroes Never Thanked.” Also, police say the teenagers broke the front windshield of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois or “Huey” helicopter and other parts of the plane.

City officials estimate it will cost at least $18,000 to fully repair the monument.

“You hurt in the pit of your stomach and your heart,” said Jay Lloyd, who helped install the helicopter.

“It really hurt deep down inside,” said Lawrence Orvis, the chairman for the City’s Veterans Advisory Board.

If all goes according to plan, the City’s interim parks administrator said they can begin the repair within the month. The company who made the letters for the message donated additional letters, but the Parks and Recreation Department will have to pay for the rest of the repairs, including labor, out of the department’s budget.

“I just couldn’t get the words for it,” said Hubert Gay, the assistant project manager for the memorial. “I couldn’t believe somebody would want to do something like that.”

Gay said it brought back painful memories from the Vietnam war.

“You didn’t want to wear your uniform off base because of the way people treated you,” Gay said. “Disrespect, dishonor.”