Fish fry to honor Vietnam veterans set for Thursday

The first-ever Vietnam Veterans’ Fish Fry is happening this Thursday evening in Cooper Park in downtown New Albany. The sponsoring group for this event, NAHS 1960 Class Remembers, welcomes all Vietnam veterans who live in Union County now, or who are Vietnam veterans from Union County, but who live elsewhere. 

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The fish fry will begin at 5:30 p.m. on July 19, 2012 at Cooper Park. The food service will begin at 6 p.m. The plan is to serve cole slaw, french fries, hush puppies and fried fish with an option of chicken strips.

There is no cost to the veterans and they are the only ones invited. Wives, children and friends are not invited to the fish fry.

“These veterans share a unique experience that is not easily understood by others and we do not want any restraints or limitations on their exchanges with one another. An exception is that if a veteran has a disability that requires assistance that we cannot provide such as blindness then we will make an exception,” said Michael Hale, chairman of the event. 

Hale asks that the veterans who are planning on attending bring any memorabilia that they wish to display. There will be many tables for that purpose, along with a large map of Vietnam for them to record their location. 

In addition to having this fish fry being a chance for all of these veterans to get together and know one another, it is also a chance to call attention to the fact that the “NAHS 1960 Class Remembers” is also trying to develop a list of all of the Vietnam veterans in the county.

Currently only a partial list exists. Hale hopes to be able to create a complete list of Vietnam veterans’ names by the end of the event.

The Class of 1960, with the help of the Union County Veterans Service Office, has located and identified 108 men from the county that served in harms’ way.  Seven veterans did not return and are recorded as KIA, or killed in action. Another six have died since returning. A candle lighting ceremony to remember the deceased will be part of the event.

Members of the NAHS Class of 1960 will be involved in the preparation and service and are responsible for all of the costs. 

 If you are a Vietnam veteran and hear about this, but does not receive an invitation, call 662-534-6421 and ask for Connie, Sandi or Bill Rutledge.  In addition, if there is anyone that needs assistance, call Connie at 662-534-6421.If anyone would like to have more information on this event, would like to donate towards this event, or would like to add an individual’s name to the list of Vietnam veterans from Union County, call Michael Hale at 662-988-3375.