Posted on Jun 22, 2015
Vets fight to add names of 74 sailors to the Vietnam Memorial. Is adding their names appropriate?
6.75K
75
33
12
12
0
A group of Navy veterans is trying to persuade the U.S. military to add the names of 74 sailors to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The sailors were killed when their destroyer, the USS Frank E. Evans, was cut in half in a collision with an Australian aircraft carrier during naval exercises in the South China Sea in June 1969. The Department of Defense has refused to add the names to the wall because the accident happened outside the Vietnam combat zone.
Among those trying to reverse the decision is Stephen Kraus of California, who was among the 199 Evans crew members to survive the collision.
Kraus says getting the backing of U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer of New York gives the Evans veterans their best opportunity yet at getting their shipmates' names added to the Vietnam Memorial.
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2015/06/21/vets-fight-to-add-names-of-74-sailors-to-vietnam-memorial/29069377/
The sailors were killed when their destroyer, the USS Frank E. Evans, was cut in half in a collision with an Australian aircraft carrier during naval exercises in the South China Sea in June 1969. The Department of Defense has refused to add the names to the wall because the accident happened outside the Vietnam combat zone.
Among those trying to reverse the decision is Stephen Kraus of California, who was among the 199 Evans crew members to survive the collision.
Kraus says getting the backing of U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer of New York gives the Evans veterans their best opportunity yet at getting their shipmates' names added to the Vietnam Memorial.
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2015/06/21/vets-fight-to-add-names-of-74-sailors-to-vietnam-memorial/29069377/
Posted in these groups: 
Vietnam War
Memorial
Vietnam War Memorial
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 11
8
8
0
As much as I love my Navy, this is not appropriate. They weren't in the combat zone and the accident wasn't a result of combat action.
(8)
(0)
6
6
0
First, what is the requirement used to place the names on the Vietnam Memorial?
Second, did those Sailors meet those requirements?
Third, if they meet those requirements I see no problem adding their names, if not sorry,
Second, did those Sailors meet those requirements?
Third, if they meet those requirements I see no problem adding their names, if not sorry,
(6)
(0)
MSG Brad Sand
SCPO David Lockwood
I think this why they were not on the wall to begin with. I think the new thing in our culture is if you do not qualify for something originally, to wait and then see if we will rewrite the rules so they can get something later.
I think this why they were not on the wall to begin with. I think the new thing in our culture is if you do not qualify for something originally, to wait and then see if we will rewrite the rules so they can get something later.
(3)
(0)
5
5
0
As they were not killed in an active combat zone I do no feel that their names should be added. While it was a tragedy that these Sailors lost their lives, they did so in a training exercise, not while engaging or being engaged by the enemy.
(5)
(0)
SFC William Swartz Jr
Vietnam Veterans Memorial - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a 3-acre (12,000 m) national memorial in Washington, DC. It honors U.S. service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were unaccounted for (Missing In Action) during the War.
(2)
(0)
LTC Stephen F.
SFC William Swartz Jr, the only reason I mentioned the US Advisers who advised from 1962 onward, was because you listed training exercise as something which should be excluded. In general I agree with you. However I do expect there are a number of people listed on the Vietnam Wall who were killed on a base/post who never engaged in active combat with the enemy. That in itself is not bad since wars require significant support forces to be fought.
We generally have little control over where we die. The conscripts of ISIS like the Japanese Kamikazes from WWII tend to be among the only "soldiers" who plan their deaths.
We generally have little control over where we die. The conscripts of ISIS like the Japanese Kamikazes from WWII tend to be among the only "soldiers" who plan their deaths.
(1)
(0)
SFC William Swartz Jr
Specifically the Sailors were killed on a training exercise, outside of an active combat zone, the advisors that are listed, were killed in combat by enemy forces whether they were in an advisory or combat role, in an active combat zone. We honor those killed on the modern day FOB/COP because they were killed in an active combat zone. That is the main difference IMO; it is similar to calling someone who served in Vietnam itself as a Vietnam Vet while someone who served at the same time but never stepped foot in Vietnam or the combat zone declared for it, a Vietnam-era Vet. My father-in-law is a Vietnam Vet, my late step-father is a Vietnam-era Vet.
(1)
(0)
CWO3 Dennis M.
SFC William Swartz Jr The USS Frank E. Evans DD-754 sailors that were killed, and the ship sunk was not due to a training exercise. I know, because I was there when this happened. I was on board the USS Kearsarge CV-33 and the USS Frank E. Evans was one of several destroyers sent to protect the Battle-Group which included the Aircraft Carrier and the rest of the Battle Group Deployed which included supply ships, refueling vessels, frigates, etc.
Prior to the collision, the Evans was up in the waters of North Vietnam providing shore Bombardment with its 5 inch gun mounts to soften the Beach/jungle for a Marine unit sent to land and that secure that position.
Our Battle-group was not on a training mission at all. In fact we were part of a SEATO exercise made up of all the SEATO Navy Countries involved with the Vietnam war.
When the Evans arrived and joined back to the Battle-group, it was ordered to fall in for plane guard behind the Australian Aircraft Carrier and prepare for Flight OPS.
It was about 0300 at this time and pitch black and the ships were in Darken ship conditions, radar was also secured on the Evans she mad a dash that put her up the Port side of the Carrier thinking they had plenty of space between them, and
the OOD on the Evans thought they were way head of the Aussie Carrier. The next thing they heard on the Bridge to bridge radio was from the Aussie ship saying they are on a collision course with the Evans and they were turning hard to Starboard. The Evans OOD thought he heard turn hard to starboard, and that was the worst thing he could have done! Perhaps the accent didn't help.
The next thing was the Melbourne sliced the Evans in half right between the two stacks. The Evans bow half sunk in 2 minutes, with 74 men inside of it, the aft section stayed afloat. and was dead in the water. Our ship arrived as quick as we could, and we puled about 200 men out of the water.
Prior to the collision, the Evans was up in the waters of North Vietnam providing shore Bombardment with its 5 inch gun mounts to soften the Beach/jungle for a Marine unit sent to land and that secure that position.
Our Battle-group was not on a training mission at all. In fact we were part of a SEATO exercise made up of all the SEATO Navy Countries involved with the Vietnam war.
When the Evans arrived and joined back to the Battle-group, it was ordered to fall in for plane guard behind the Australian Aircraft Carrier and prepare for Flight OPS.
It was about 0300 at this time and pitch black and the ships were in Darken ship conditions, radar was also secured on the Evans she mad a dash that put her up the Port side of the Carrier thinking they had plenty of space between them, and
the OOD on the Evans thought they were way head of the Aussie Carrier. The next thing they heard on the Bridge to bridge radio was from the Aussie ship saying they are on a collision course with the Evans and they were turning hard to Starboard. The Evans OOD thought he heard turn hard to starboard, and that was the worst thing he could have done! Perhaps the accent didn't help.
The next thing was the Melbourne sliced the Evans in half right between the two stacks. The Evans bow half sunk in 2 minutes, with 74 men inside of it, the aft section stayed afloat. and was dead in the water. Our ship arrived as quick as we could, and we puled about 200 men out of the water.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google