Last night, Weymouth Veterans Services hosted a Sunset Ceremony at the Vietnam War Memorial to honor and add five names to the Agent Orange Memorial: Paul Shinney, Rick Morgan, John D’Acci, Gregory DePari, and James Cazeault. The ceremony took place on Agent Orange Awareness Day and marked the 60th anniversary of the first time Agent Orange was ever used.
The Vietnam War Memorial started as a tribute to Weymouth native Marine Lance Cpl. Paul Francis Quill, who was killed in Vietnam in 1968. It was formally dedicated in 1985 and soon expanded to honor all Weymouth residents who were killed in the war or as a result of the effects of war. A special thanks goes to the late Paul Shinney and his family who have been caretakers of the park for over thirty years.
It was a touching tribute that reminded us of the sacrifices made by those who fought to defend our freedom, and how the impacts of war do not end once a soldier is home.
