High school unveils Vietnam healing wall to honor fallen classmates
By Alan Shope
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — Oak Park High School officially unveiled a memorial honoring alumni who served in the Vietnam War, including 12 who never returned home.
The wall is the result of a three-year effort by Vietnam veteran Cary Marshall, a member of Oak Park’s Class of 1967, who envisioned a permanent tribute to fellow classmates who served.
“They need to be recognized for what they gave up,” Marshall said.
Nearly $6,000 was raised to bring the memorial to life, which now includes close to 300 names.
Organizers expect that number to grow as more names of Oak Park alumni who served in Vietnam are discovered.
Bob Staton, another Oak Park graduate, remembered all 12 of the former students who died in the war.
“I knew all 12 of the Oak Park graduates that made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam,” Staton said. “Some of them I knew very well. Some of them are just by having class together and passing in the halls.”
A dedication ceremony featured remarks, music, and a moment of reflection.
The goal is for current students to not just walk past the wall, but to stop, read, and learn.
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