Posted on 04/26/2010 4:25:01 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Former Bee County Judge Jay T. Kimbrough knows his place.
It would be somewhere next to childhood friend and fellow Marine Cloyde Pinson Jr.’s name on the Vietnam War Memorial wall in Washington, D.C.
For if it wasn’t for the bravery of his Platoon Sgt. Jimmie L. West, Kimbrough would have died of his wounds the same day as Pinson did in 1967 in the Que Son Valley.
Despite recovering from the wounds to his abdomen, anyone who spends any time with Kimbrough knows how the war impacted his life, his outlook.
Now Kimbrough is taking on a new mission to make sure those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam are not forgotten.
Having served the state in capacities from governor’s chief of staff and deputy chancellor for the Texas A&M University System, Kimbrough is joining San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt to spearhead an Education Center at the Vietnam Memorial wall.
“Our goal and responsibility is preserving the memories of those that were lost forever. Right now, their names carved in granite is very special, of course... more than 58,000,” he explains.
“There is so much more to tell about each and every name on the wall. And before too long, their family and friends will be gone and no one will know their stories. We owe them this to preserve and honor them forever. And we owe it to their families.”
Toward that end, Kimbrough was joined by Gov. Rick Perry last week at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery to kick off the Texas drive to raise awareness and collect funds and memorabilia for the Education Center.
The center, which is to be built underground beneath the wall, was approved by Congress in 2003. Construction won’t begin until the $85 million projected cost is raised from contributions.
Joining Kimbrough and Perry in Dallas Wednesday for the Texas launch was the mother and sister of Kimbrough’s fellow Marine and friend, Cloyde Pinson Jr. The ceremony was held in front of Pinson’s grave.
For Kimbrough, this mission is personal.
“I’m one of the lucky ones who survived. Those of us that were spared are committed to preserve the memories of those that were lost, for them and their families,” he says.
Kimbrough and Holt’s efforts are the first statewide effort toward the cause that has already raised $25 million toward its goal. The effort’s national organization hopes to model other states after what Texas does.
“I am the grass-roots coordinator in Texas. My role is to help spread the word about the project so people are aware and can support it and family and friends can provide photos and stories about their loved one on the wall. This means we want to get the word out to very community in Texas, large and small – because the 3,416 fallen came from all across Texas.”
Kimbrough now plans on visiting communities throughout the state to spread the word – especially in the many small communities that sent their sons and daughters to serve.
For more information on the project, visit http://www.vvmf.org/.
1967 in the “Que Son” Valley = “Khe Sahn”?
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