New memorial in Papillion honors Nebraska’s Vietnam veterans
Less than a month before rotating stateside, Army Sgt. John C. Gaeth died from injuries sustained when the vehicle in which he was riding overturned while on a supply run in Vietnam.
Gaeth, 20, died July 20, 1968. He joined the Army in 1966 and arrived in Vietnam a year later. The Schuyler native is one of 396 Nebraskans killed during the Vietnam War, with their stories shared on the Wall of Faces at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Papillion.
About 37,000 Vietnam veterans live in Nebraska. Nearly 8.7 million men and women served during the war, which ended almost 50 years ago. Today, about 6.8 million Vietnam Veterans remain around the world. In comparison, there are about 100,000 World War II veterans and a million Korean vets.
Visitors can recall memories or lessons about Vietnam, as the memorial documents the war’s key events from 1959-75. Opened June 6, people can visit the memorial from dawn until dusk daily.
From the first American observers to the Saigon airlift of South Vietnamese and American civilians, the memorial rivals any in the United States when it comes to telling the war’s stories through the names of its fallen.
Obelisks showcase military operations as well as American social and cultural events, including Woodstock, Kent State killings and Watergate.
The memorial is anchored by a UH-1 Huey helicopter with gunners providing cover fire as two soldiers carry a wounded comrade to the landing zone. The helicopter was obtained from a group in Vermont. Press a button and the sounds of the Huey hovering above echo through the memorial.
The Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial was the brainchild of Thomas Brown, George Abbott and the late Howard Ball, each a veteran. They worked on the project since 2017.
Decades after returning home from an unpopular war, veterans have finally been recognized for their service. Over the years, society has developed an attitude that you can oppose military action without disliking military members.
