Forgotten Warriors Remembered at Museum Dedication

ERMA — Those who fought and those who lost their lives in Vietnam are not forgotten here.
The Forgotten Warriors Vietnam Museum, started in a small room in the Naval Air Station Wildwood Museum six years ago, moved to a donated mobile home. then one year ago constructed a building that was missing windows, doors and climate control.
On July 5, the museum dedicated its fully operational building plus a wall containing a granite memorial to 21 men who gave their lives in the Vietnam War.
A crowd of more than 200 gathered at noon. They included National Guard troops, Coast Guard members, Lower Township police and representatives from local veterans’ groups including the VFW, Vietnam Veterans of America and two motorcycle clubs.
Museum volunteer Larry Campbell read each of the 21 names and rang a bell for each military man killed in Vietnam from this county. Honor guards stood before the newly-constructed wall.
Wreathes were placed at the wall by the Red, White and Blue Freedom Riders, Vietnam Veterans of America and by Tom Collins, founder and president of the museum, who was in uniform. Collins was sent to Vietnam in 1967 and served as a door gunner on a helicopter that was shot down.
Brig. Gen, (ret) Jeffrey L. Pierson, of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, said the local memorial would help the healing process for local Vietnam veterans that may not be able to cope with a visit to the veteran’s wall in Washington, D.C. He said 1,560 New Jersey residents did not make it home from the Vietnam War.
Collins received praise from a number of state and county officials who noted his unceasing energy and tenacity to finish the project. Collins thanked the many groups, businesses and officials that contributed to the project but specially thanked his wife, Teresa.
Collins told the Herald last year he wanted to house items brought back from the war that would otherwise have been thrown away or put in a garage sale when Vietnam veterans pass away. The Forgotten Warriors Museum tells the story of the war in three-dimension objects rather than pages in a book.
The granite memorial brings back the names of the 21 local men to this county,” he said.
Rev. Richard Forbes, of St. John of God Catholic Church, North Cape May blessed the museum before Collins cut a large red ribbon strung across the doorway. Members of the public filled the museum after the dedication.