11 Nov Veterans' Day Ceremony

[Ranger]

The "Friends of Rocky Versace," will host a Veterans’ Day Ceremony at the Mt. Vernon Recreation Center in the City of Alexandria.

The Event will honor posthumous Medal of Honor Recipient and Ranger Hall of Fame inductee CPT Rocky Versace, 5 other Fallen Army Rangers, the 61 other citizens from Alexandria who died during the Vietnam War and all U.S. Military Veterans.

Details:
Date: Monday, 11 November 2013 (Veterans’ Day)
Time: 1- 2 PM
Location: CPT Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veterans' Memorial
Mount Vernon Recreation Center
Del Ray section of Alexandria
2701 Commonwealth Ave (Corner of Mt Vernon and Commonwealth Aves)
City of Alexandria, VA 22305
(703) 745-8666

Additional Weblinks:
http://www.virginia.org/Listings/Events ... Alexandria

MapQuest: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/2701+Commo ... 2305-2535/

[Jim]

Sadly, I could not attend; but the ceremony was a success. MG (Ret) Jack Nickelson was the keynote speaker. More details to follow.

[Jim]

The main speaker for the Veteran's Day ceremony was retired U.S. Army General John W. "Jack" Nicholson. General Nicholson graduated from West Point (USMA'56) and served 3 combat tours in Vietnam. General Nicholson's son, Major General John W. "Mick" Nicholson, Jr., is currently the Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
As a Captain in Vietnam, Nicholson was involved in three rescue attempts for Rocky Versace and some of his fellow POWs. General Nicholson’s address to the Veteran’s Day group included a heart wrenching and dramatic description of those attempts to rescue Rocky Versace and other American held in the POW camps.
After returning to the U.S., General Nicholson relayed the information about the attempted rescue missions. Although unsuccessful, knowledge of the rescue attempts encouraged members of the Versace that efforts were at least being made to bring the POWs out of the camps in the delta of South Vietnam. Tragically, Rocky Versace was executed by his communist captors in September 1965. His remains have never been recovered, despite several attempts by the Defense POW/MIA Office (DPMO).
Sixty seven names are listed on the Versace Memorial. All of the 67 men made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War. As part of the Veteran’s Day Ceremony, all of the names were read. Concluding the ceremony, a wreath was presented by members of the West Point Class of 1959 (Versace’s class) and members of the Northern Virginia Army Special Forces Association. Approximately 175 people attended the ceremony.

[Jim]

Put up such a fight in captivity, Viet Cong executed him out of frustration. He was last heard singing “God Bless America”. He was later awarded the Medal of Honor

http://www.warhistoryonline.com/vietnam ... honor.html