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player ready...What was once an empty lot in Melrose Park is now a park dedicated to Vietnam veterans from the near west suburbs.
Since World War I, the park district has dedicated parks to veterans who have lost their lives in wars, said Donna Leoni Peluso, the executive director of the Veterans Park District. The newest of these parks is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park, which is at 1800 Riverwoods Drive in the Victory Centre of River Woods assisted living campus. The park district provides recreational and educational programs for residents of Northlake, Melrose Park, Franklin Park and River Grove.
“Less than a year ago [Melrose Park] Mayor [Ron] Serpico approached the Veterans Park District with an opportunity to develop this park,” Peluso said. “The village donated the land and installed most of the infrastructure, like the pavement and the retaining wall. The park district agreed to do all the landscaping and all the maintenance for the property. So, it’s a partnership with the village of Melrose Park. “
Peluso said the district learned of 16 veterans from the area who died in Vietnam. The park is dedicated to them.
“One of the things that happened for this to come about was the village was able to acquire the property, and then when the time came to do something with it, we became short on money,” Serpico said at the dedication. “So we approached Donna, and of course the people from the park district … helped us make this partnership. I was a Vietnam-era person. I did not serve; I was in school. But those veterans were the people who came back and were very much disrespected. So that’s why we came up with the idea to celebrate the Vietnam-era veterans. Obviously, the WWII veterans, the Korean War guys, and some of the later wars, those men and women came back and were treated much better than the Vietnam veterans. It’s actually probably a disgrace as to how these veterans were treated for a war that they didn’t cause.”
A dedication ceremony on July 27 included a presentation of the colors and rifle salute by American Legion Franklin Park Post 974, a benediction by Deacon Ray Behrendt from Sacred Heart Parish in Melrose Park, and renditions of the national anthem and “God Bless America” by Gianna Capra Uroni.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said George W. Atkins, the commander at American Legion Post 888 from Northlake. “Finally, a tribute to my friends and fellow veterans that’s not all the way in Washington, D.C. It’s here; it’s close by. It’s a touching moment, especially when you’re personally involved with some of the names up there. I knew some of them well.”
Atkins is also a U.S. Navy veteran who served from 1966 to 1968.
“I spent two years in combat in Vietnam, and I was lucky enough to come home,” he said. “And all I can say is God bless them, and God bless this country, and hopefully we’ll continue to remember our veterans.”
The new park is dedicated to the following Vietnam War veterans:
Dwight F. Bennett Jr., Marine Corps, Melrose Park
James P. Califf, Army, Northlake
Russell M. Erikson, Army, Franklin Park
Russell E. Gedeon, Army, River Grove
Frank R. Gilchrist Jr., Marine Corps, Melrose Park
Michael J. Havard, Army, Northlake
Thomas H. Heise, Marine Corps, Melrose Park
Robert E. Johnson, Air Force, Franklin Park
Charles N. Kowalk, Army, Melrose Park
David J. Latoria, Army, Franklin Park
Albert L. Lazzarotto, Army, River Grove
Joseph A. Maggio Jr., Marine Corps, Melrose Park
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Matthew P. Malczynski, Army, Northlake
Vernon A. Manheim Jr., Marine Corps, Franklin Park
Olaf T. Olsen, Army, Melrose Park
Jon P. Turk, Army, Melrose Park
Alex V. Hernandez is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.