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00:00:33THE OHIO STATE HOUSE, A
LONG-STANDING SYMBOL OF THE
00:00:37POWER OF THE PEOPLE AND
REPRESENTATION OF THE IDEALS OF
00:00:41FREEDOM WE SHARE AS A NATION.
NO PLACE IS MORE SUITABLE TO
00:00:47DISPLAY REMINDERS OF OUR PAST
STRUGGLES WHICH HAVE SECURED OUR
00:00:51PEACE TODAY.
HISTORIC MONUMENTS ON THE STATE
00:00:55HOUSE GROUNDS CAPTURE TAILS OF
THE BATTLES MEN AND WOMEN HAVE
00:01:01ENDURED.
EACH IS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR SHIFT
00:01:04TELLING A STORY OF OUR FREEDOM
AS AN IDEAL THAT COST DEARLY.
00:01:09>> THE MOST RECENT ADDITION THE
PLAZA COMPLETED IN 1998.
00:01:17THE PLAZA HONORS VETERANS WHO
HAVE SERVED AND IS THE FIRST
00:01:22MEMORIAL BUILT ON THE STATE
HOUSE GROUNDS IN NEARLY P 0
00:01:25YEARS.
IT IS THE ONLY MONUMENT HONORING
00:01:30VETERANS SINCE WORLD WAR 2.
I BELIEVE THE ONLY MONUMENT FOR
00:01:35THE WORLD WAR 2 IS A MARKER FOR
A MAN WHO AS A WORLD WAR 2 FOR A
00:01:40FLYING ACE.
THAT'S THE ONLY KIND OF MARKING
00:01:42FOR WORLD WAR 2.
SO THIS PLAZA IS ESPECIALLY
00:01:48IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE
INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVED IN WORLD
00:01:54WAR 2, KOREA, VIETNAM, DESSERT
STORM AND ALL OF THE
00:02:01CONCOMPLIKTS IN BETWEEN.
IT'S AN APPRECIATION FOR ALL OF
00:02:04THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED BEFORE US,
ALL OF THOSE WHO SERVE IN THE
00:02:07PRESENT AND ALL OF THOSE WHO
WILL SERVE IN THE FUTURE.
00:02:10BASICALLY NOTHING HAS HAPPENED
HERE IN OHIO SINCE BEFORE WORLD
00:02:15WAR II, AND IS THIS THE
NEGATIVECY WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE
00:02:20BEHIND WITH NO SENSE OF FEELING
THAT YOU WERE APPRECIATED, IT'S
00:02:25GOING TO HAVE A BEARING ON
FUTURE LEADERS AND SOLDIERS.
00:02:34>> ASSEMBLY HAS SOUNDED.
OHIO HAS HEARD THE CALL AND HER
00:02:38SONS AND DAUGHTERS PAUSE IN THE
PURSUIT OF PEACE TO RALLY TO THE
00:02:43COMMON CAUSE DEFENSE OF THE
NATION.
00:02:44TO BE BEING A VETERAN MEANS THAT
I PLAYED A ROLE ALONG WITH
00:02:49MILLIONS OF OTHERS IN INSURING
THE LIFESTYLE THAT WE HAVE GOT
00:02:53TODAY AND I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO
BE REMINDED OF THAT AND I CAN'T
00:02:56THINK OF A BETTER WAY THAN
HAVING A MEMORIAL PLAZA HERE AT
00:03:01THE STATE HOUSE.
TWO FOUNTAINS RESIDE IN THE
00:03:10GRASSY AREA, ONE ON EACH END.
ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, MARINES,
00:03:16AND COAST GUARD PLAQUES HONOR
THE FIVE BRANCHES OF SERVICE AS
00:03:20UNITED STATES, OHIO, AND POW,
MIS FLAGS FLY ABOVE.
00:03:28THE MOST NOTICEABLE AND
REFLECTIVE ASPECT OF THE PLAZA,
00:03:31HOWEVER, ARE THE TWO WALLS OF
LETTERS.
00:03:35EACH WALL ACTS AS A BACK DROP
FOR THE FOUNTAINS AND ARE THE
00:03:39FOCAL POINTS FOR THE PLAZA.
THE WALLS ARE TEN FEET HIGH AND
00:03:44APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET LONG AND
THEY ARE IN THE SHAPE OF AN ARCH
00:03:49AND THEY ARE MADE OF OHIO
LIMESTONE, THE SAME I'M STONE
00:03:53THE STATE HOUSE IS MADE OUT OF
AND THEY CONTAIN LETTERS THAT
00:03:57VETERANS HAD WRITTEN HOME TO
THEIR FAMILY, FRIENDS, LOVED
00:04:01ONES AND SO ON.
THE LETTERS WERE CHOSEN BY A
00:04:07COMMITTEE OF I LIKE TO CALL THEM
EXPERTS.
00:04:10WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ENGLISH
MAJORS AND A FEW OTHERS THAT
00:04:14SELECTED THE LETTERS.
>> WE GOT 1500 LETTERS OF PEOPLE
00:04:20WHEN WE ASKED FOR REQUESTS OF
LETTERS OF SOLDIERS SENDING MAIL
00:04:23HOME TO THEIR LOVED ONES AND OUT
OF THAT 1500, NATURALLY WE
00:04:28COULDN'T PICK EVERY LETTER.
>> SO WE DECIDED WE WOULD JUST
00:04:32USE FIRST NAMES ON THE LETTERS,
AND MOST OF THE LETTERS THAT ARE
00:04:36ON THAT WALL COULD HAVE BEEN
WRITTEN FROM ALMOST ANYBODY THAT
00:04:41SERVED IN COMBAT OR WERE AWAY
FROM HOME FOR A LONG PERIOD OF
00:04:45TIME.
>> THERE IS A POEM UP THERE THAT
00:04:48A VETERAN WROTE AND THER IS A
TELL LEGRAM AN ACTUAL REWEAPONS
00:04:52OF MASS DESTRUCTION OF A DEM
LEGRAM THAT AN OHIO FAMILY
00:04:58RECEIVED NOTIFYING THEM THAT
THERE SON HAD BEEN KILLED.
00:05:01IT IS MORE THAN LETTERS HOME.
THERE IS FUNNY LER LETTERS UP
00:05:07THERE TOO.
IT'S NOT ALL SADNESS AND TUGGING
00:05:10AT THE HEART.
>> I'M AN ARMY CAREER VETERAN I
00:05:14SERVED 22.5 YEARS IN THE ARMY.
I ENTERED THE UNITED STATES NAVY
00:05:20IN 1960 AND CAME OUT IN 1963.
I JOINED IN 1943, WENT UP TO
00:05:25FORT DES MOINES, IOWA, FOR MY
BASIC TRAINING.
00:05:28I WAS IN THE MARINE CORPS FOR
TWO YEAR IN 1969.
00:05:34WHEN YOU GO INTO THE MILITARY,
YOU SAY YOU HAVE MY LIFE.
00:05:38YOU ACTUALLY PLEDGE AN OATH TO
YOUR COUNTRY AND YOU ARE
00:05:43BASICALLY GIVING THEM THE RIGHT
TO USE YOUR LIFE AND IF YOU TAKE
00:05:47A LOOK AT THAT WALL OF LETTERS
AND YOU SEE THOSE LETTERS, KIA,
00:05:53THAT MEANS KILLED IN ACTION.
THEY HAVE MADE THE SUPREME
00:05:58SACRIFICE.
NO OTHER WALK OF LIFE PUTS
00:06:00THEMSELVES IN THAT KIND OF
HARM'S WAY.
00:06:02>> FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FOUGHT FOR
IT, FREEDOM HAS A FLAVOR THE
00:06:08PROTECTED WILL NEVER KNOW.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU DON'T KNOW
00:06:12WHAT FREEDOM MEANS UNTIL YOU
HAVE HAD TO BASICALLY PUT YOUR
00:06:15LIFE ON THE LINE FOR IT.
THERE IS ONE POINT ONE VET VAN
00:06:26VETERAN MILLION MET
VANS IN OHIO.
00:06:30THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 45,000
OHIO WOMEN VETERANS.
00:06:37AS THEY COME DOWN AND REFLECT ON
THE HIM MOREALL, REFLECT ON THE
00:06:45LETTERS, THAT THEY CAN TRULY
STATE, YES, I SERVED HI COUNTRY.
00:06:50I WAS THERE.
I DID MY PART.
00:07:07>> WE HAVE SERVED MOST OF THE
TIME OVERSEAS OVER ONE OCEAN OR
00:07:13OVER THE OTHER OCEAN.
WE LOOK AT THE MOUNTAINS AND ONE
00:07:17IS KIND OF SYMBOLIC OF THE
PATCHING HPACIFIC OCEAN WHILE
00:07:20THE OTHER IS SYMBOLIC OF THE
ATLANTIC OCEAN.
00:07:23THE IDEA TO E RECOLLECT A
MONUMENT ON THE STATE HOUSE
00:07:28GROUNDS WAS SPARKED NEARLY 17
YEARS AGO WHEN HARRY EDWARDS, A
00:07:35VIETNAM VETERAN PAID A TRIBUTE
TO THOSE WHO SERVED IN THE WAR.
00:07:39BOTH CONTROVERSY AND AWARENESS
ENSUED WHEN HARRY AND HIS
00:07:44FRIEND, KARL CHANDLER POSTED
THAT SIGN FOR THE PUBLIC TO
00:07:47VIEW.
>> IT ALL REALLY GOT STARTED
00:07:50BACK WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL TAMED
HARRY EDWARDS AND ANOTHER PERSON
00:07:53ON THEIR OWN TOOK A PIECE OF
PLYWOOD AND PAINTED ON IT A
00:08:01MEMORY STATEMENT TO VIETNAM.
THEY PUT THE PLYWOOD AND PUT IT
00:08:05ON THE WHITEHOUSE YARD.
AND THAT IS A STATEMENT TO THE
00:08:09GENERAL PUBLIC THAT SOMEHOW THE
VIETNAM VETERANS NEEDS TO BE
00:08:13RECOGNIZED.
THE MARNER IN WHICH THEY DID IT
00:08:16CAUSED SOME CONSTERNATION.
THERE WERE THOSE THAT THOUGHT
00:08:19THIS WAS A FER TERRIBLE THING
BECAUSE FRANKLY FOR GOOD REASONS
00:08:24WE DON'T LET PEOPLE POST
ANYTHING THEY WISH ON STATE
00:08:27HOUSE GROUNDS.
IF YOU DID THAT, YOU COULD
00:08:31IMAGINE ALL OF THE SIGNS THAT
WOULD APPEAR.
00:08:32THESE ARE SOME VIETNAM VETERANS,
MAYBE GO TALK TO RICK.
00:08:37I'M NOT PRECISELY SURE OF THE
DETAILS, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE
00:08:41JUST GENERALLY AGREED LET THESE
GUYS MAKE THEIR STATEMENT AND I
00:08:45SUPPOSE IF YOU WANT TO CHRONICLE
HISTORY IN SOME FIRST CHAPTER
00:08:50CLOSING EPI LOG.
YOU COULD SAY THAT HARRY AND
00:08:53KARL STARTED IT.
THE REALIZATION THAT OHIO HAD
00:08:58NOT MONUMENT ALLEY HONORS
VIETNAM VETERANS LED TO AN
00:09:02INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION.
THIS LEGISLATION CALLED FOR THE
00:09:05CREATION OF A VIETNAM MONUMENT
ON THE STATE HOUSE GROUNDS.
00:09:10>> I OFFERED THEM AMENDMENT TO
THE EXISTING LEGISLATION.
00:09:14I BELIEVE IN 1987.
I REMEMBER SAYING WHAT ABOUT
00:09:19THOSE WHO FOUGHT IN THE KOREAN
WAR, THE FORGOTTEN WAR, THEY HE
00:09:25DESERVE AS MUCH AS WE DO, AND
THEN WORLD WAR II ONE OF THE
00:09:29MOST CLIMB MATTIC EVENTS IN
HISTORY NOT HONORED AT THE
00:09:36STATE HOUSE.
THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
00:09:38THERE BECOME A FEELING THAT WE
OUGHT TO BE TALKING ABOUT A
00:09:43SINGLE MONUMENT TO VETERANS AND
THAT'S THE DIRECTION WE WENT.
00:09:47>> AFTER THE IDEA TO CREATE A
VIETNAM MEMORIAL WAS EXPANDED TO
00:09:52INCLUDE ALL VETERANS, FUNDING
FOR THE PLAZA BECAME A MAIN
00:09:56ISSUE.
>> IT WAS HOPED THAT IT WOULD BE
00:09:58DONE WITH DONATIONS FROM
VETERANS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY
00:10:03WERE LAGGING BEHIND AND WE WOULD
NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH
00:10:09IT.
>> VETERANS DON'T LIKE TO
00:10:11PARTICULARLY, I DON'T THINK,
BRAG ABOUT THEMSELVES OR PAY
00:10:17TRIBUTE.
THEY APPRECIATE THE SERVICE THAT
00:10:18THEY HAVE PROVIDED, AND FROM A
VETERAN STANDPOINT, IT WOULD BE
00:10:24NICE IF THE PUBLIC EXPRESSED
THEIR APPRECIATION BY BUILDING
00:10:30THIS MEMORIAL IN HONOR OF THE
VETERANS RATHER THAN A VETERAN
00:10:34BUILDING A MEMORIAL FOR
THEMSELVES.
00:10:36>> SO THE NEXT THING THEY WENT
OUT AND DECIDED WITH ARE GOING
00:10:40TO DO IT WITH VETERANS AND
CORPORATE MONEY, WE WILL RAISE
00:10:43CORPORATE FUNDS.
WELL, IT JUST HAPPENED AT THE
00:10:46TIME WE WERE TRYING TO RAISE
CORPORATE FUNDS, CORPORATE
00:10:49FUNDING WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND WE
HAD ALREADY TAPPED A LOT OF
00:10:53THOSE SOURCES FOR OTHER ISSUES.
>> FORTUNATELY FOR US THE
00:10:56LEGISLATION OF THE STATE OF OHIO
CAME THROUGH AND SUPPORTED US
00:10:59AND CAME FORTHWITH THE MONEY SO
THAT WE COULD COMPLETE THE
00:11:03PLAZA.
>> THE INITIAL THING WAS
00:11:04BREAKING THE GROUND THE DAY WE
WERE OUT THERE, AND YOU JUST,
00:11:08IT'S HARD TO FEEL, YOU JUST GET
GOOSE BUMPS, THE OVERWELL
00:11:14WILLING FEELING YOU GET.
>> SO AS WE ENTER NOW THIS TIME
00:11:16OF CONSTRUCTION AND UPHEAVE WILL
AND WE WILL BE ANXIOUSLY
00:11:21WAITING TO BE BACK HERE WHEN WE
CAN BE TOGETHER AND STAND IN THE
00:11:25BEAUTY OF THIS VETERANS' PLAZA
AND DEDICATE IT TO THE MEN AND
00:11:31WOMEN WHO HAVE GIVEN OF
THEMSELVES TO PROTECT OUR GREAT
00:11:37FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
GOVERNMENT.
00:11:38>> I WENT INTO JAPAN WITH THE
OCCUPATION FORCES.
00:11:42>> I JOINED THE UNITED STATES
NAVY IN 1949.
00:11:46I CAME OUT IN 1953.
>> I ENLISTED IN THE MARINE
00:11:53CORPS RESERVES IN JUNE OF
19,850.
00:11:56I SERVED WITH THE 187th
AIRBORNE REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM.
00:12:04I SPENT 16 MONTHS OVERSEAS, MADE
THREE JUMPS IN KOREA.
00:12:14I HAVE MEMORIES OF HOLDING A
COMRADE IN MY ARMS AS HE DIED.
00:12:24TO ME, IT'S, THIS WALL IS FOR
THOSE COMRADES I LEFT BEHIND.
00:12:35I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES.
THERE IS ONE LETTER THAT SAYS
00:12:40I'M COMING HOME.
I HAVE GOT A TELL LEGRAM AT HOME
00:12:46THAT STATES THE VERY SAME THING
AND THOSE LETTERS MORE THAN
00:12:52ANYTHING EXPRESS THE FEELING OF
THE SEFERSMEN WHO SERVED OUR
00:12:59COUNTRY
>> THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE GOT TO
00:13:05DO IS EDUCATE THE PEOPLE SO THAT
THEY WILL REMEMBER, YOU KNOW,
00:13:10ALL OF THE WARS AND THE
CONFLICTS SO THIS WILL BE REALLY
00:13:16A PLACE TO COME AND REFLECT, A
PLACE TO BECOME EDUCATED, AND A
00:13:22PLACE, A PLA SATURDAY, I SHOULD
SAY, FOR REMEMBRANCE.
00:13:28>> LET US REMEMBER THOSE WHO IN
THE WORDS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
00:13:33GAVE THE LAST FULL MEASURE OF
DEVOTION TO OUR NATION THAT WE
00:13:37HERE MAY LIVE WITH OPPORTUNITIES
AND FREEDOMS UNPARALEGALLED IN
00:13:42THE WORLD.
>> CONSTRUCTION ON THE PLAZA
00:13:53TOOK 11 MONTHS FROM SEPTEMBER OF
1997 TO JULY OF 1998 TO CREATE
00:14:00THE 70 LIMESTONE LETTERS THAT
ARE THE MAIN ATTRACTION OF THE
00:14:03PLAZA, A COMPLEX PROCESS WAS
FOLLOWED.
00:14:06EACH LER WAS ENTERED INTO A
COMPUTER GRAPHICS PROGRAM AND
00:14:09SENT TO BOTH THE ARCHITECT AND
THE ORIGINATOR OF THE LER FOR
00:14:14PROOFING.
WHEN APPROVED, THE LER WAS
00:14:16PRINTED TO A PLOTTER WHICH
STENCILED THE LER ONTO A SHEET.
00:14:21AFTER THE THE STONE FOR THE
LETTER WAS CLEANED A FILLER WAS
00:14:27APPLIED THE STEN SILL PROTECTIVE
MATTING WAS REMOVED AND A SCREEN
00:14:33WIRE AS SITUATED ONTO THE STEN
SILL AND PROPERLY ALIGNED ON THE
00:14:38STONE.
>> WE WITH GO ON TO WHAT WE CALL
00:14:41WEAVING.
THIS SIMPLY MEANS REMOVING THE
00:14:43LETTERS FROM THE -- PARTS OF
THE LER LETTERS WE WILL BE STAND
00:14:50BALLOTING IN THE STONE FROM THE
TEMPLATE ITSELF.
00:14:54WE USE A PICK AND JUST KIND OF
GO IN AND MOST OF THEM WHEN IT'S
00:14:58CUT RIGHT POP OUT JUST LIKE
THAT.
00:15:00>> EACH STONE WAS PROOFED ONCE
MORE FOR TECHNICAL ASPECTS.
00:15:03IN THE S SANDBLAST AREA.
THE LETTERS WERE CLEANED AND A
00:15:10RUPPER MALLET WAS USED TO INSURE
PROPER ADD HIETION TO THE STONE.
00:15:13FROM HERE S SANDBLASTING WAS USD
TO YES YATE ETCHING INTO THE
00:15:20LIMESTONE.
AFTER CLEANING WITH COMPRESSED
00:15:22AIR A DYE WAS APPLIED AND THE
DEN SILL REMOVED.
00:15:26EACH STONE WAS CLEANED ONCE MORE
AND THEN SENT TO THE OHIO STATE
00:15:30HOUSE FOR CONSTRUCTION.
>> SINCE I HAVE OCCUPIED THE
00:15:35OFFICE OVERLOOKING THIS, IT'S
BEEN A DAILY EVENT FOR ME TO
00:15:40EITHER LOOK OUT OR GO DOWNSTAIRS
AND WALK AROUND AND SEE THIS
00:15:44BEING DONE.
IT WAS A DAILY RITUAL.
00:15:46AND I LOOKED AT IT WITH PRIDE AT
THE WAY PEOPLE TOOK THEIR WORK
00:15:51SERIOUSLY, THE ARCHITECTS, THE
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, THEY KNEW
00:15:54THEY WERE INVOLVED IN SOMETHING
WORTHWHILE.
00:15:58>> THE PLAZA WAS COMPLETED IN
JULY OF 1998.
00:16:02A MONTH LATER A WEEKEND OF
FESTIVITIES WAS HOSTED AT THE
00:16:07STATE HOUSE, INCLUDING THE
DEDICATION OF THIS HISTORIC
00:16:10MONUMENT.
>> THE MESSAGE I HOPE THAT PLAZA
00:16:13CONVEYS IS HOW MUCH WE VALUE THE
TERRORISMS OF OUR VETERANS AND
00:16:17WHAT THIS HAVE DONE FOR OUR
COUNTRY, OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND
00:16:21THE LIBERTY THAT WE ALL ASSUME
IS OUR BIRTH RIGHT.
00:16:30I'M A WORLD WAR 2 KID.
MY MEMORIES ARE DEEP AND THEY
00:16:38ARE PERSONAL, AND I WOMAN
WORRIED AND CONCERNED THAT THERE
00:16:42IS A COMPLAISANCECY OUT THERE
AMONG PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE
00:16:47EXPERIENCED WHAT WE HAVE.
SO HOW DO WE CARRY THAT MESSAGE
00:16:51AND HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THAT
COMPLAIS ANSWERCY, BY HAVE IS
00:16:57THINGS LIKE THIS VETERANS
MEMORIAL.
00:17:01AS YOU LOOK IN FRONT OF ME HERE
AT THIS TURNOFF, THAT EVERY
00:17:07SCHOOL BUS THAT COMES TO THESE
GROUNDS, THIS IS WHERE THEY ARE
00:17:11GOING TO STOP AND DISCHARGE THE
KIDS.
00:17:14AND THEY ARE GOING TO SAY, WHAT
ARE THOSE ON THE ENDS.
00:17:19AND THEY ARE GOING TO GET AN
EDUCATION THAT THEY SHOULD ABOUT
00:17:24WHAT VETERANS MEAN.
>> GOING BACK TO THE DEDICATION
00:17:29CEREMONY, WHEN YOU GATHER WITH
VETERANS AND THE MARCH AND THE
00:17:37MUSIC IT DOES BRING BACK
MEMORIES OF THE FORMAL TIMES,
00:17:40THOSE MOMENTS WHEN EVERYTHING
SEEMED TO HAVE SOME ORDER, SOME
00:17:47PATRIOTIC FEELINGS OF HIGH
PROUDNESS.
00:17:49>> IT WAS A BAG OF MIXED
EMOTIONS, PRIDE, JOY,
00:17:58REFLECTIONS ON SOME OF THE
LETTERS THAT WERE ON THE WALL.
00:18:02>> WE HAD BETWEEN 2,000 AND 2500
PEOPLE IN THE STREET.
00:18:06WE HAD PROBABLY THE LARGEST
AMASSING OF COLOR GUARDS, THAT
00:18:11MEANS ALL COLOR GUARDS COMING
TOGETHER AND JUST STANDING AND
00:18:14POSTING THEIR COLORS ON THE
STREET THAT ANYONE CAN REMEMBER
00:18:17IN HISTORY.
AND THE GENERAL REACTION THAT WE
00:18:20GOT FROM THE PEOPLE THAT CAME
DOWN AND SAW THE PLOOZ SATURDAY
00:18:23ANDED DEDICATION WAS JUST
OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE.
00:18:28>> IT ENDED WITH THE BEGINNING,
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS
00:18:32MEMORIAL SO GREAT, THE
DEDICATION ENDING WITH A LOT OF
00:18:37PRIDE, BUT IT WAS A BEGINNING
FOR SO MUCH MORE TO GRASP.
00:18:43>> THE DEDICATION OF THE PLAZA
WAS MORE THAN AN UNVEILING OF A
00:18:47MONUMENT.
IT WAS A SIGN THAT OHIO IS
00:18:50GRATEFUL TO THE MEN AND WOMEN
WHO SERVE OUR COUNTRY.
00:18:54SO SOME VETERANS IT WAS A THANK
YOU, A THANK YOU THAT MAY NOT
00:18:58HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AFTER SERVICE
SERVICE.
00:19:02>> I CAME BACK, THE ONLY PEOPLE
THAT KNEW I WAS BACK WAS MY
00:19:07FAMILY.
I MEAN, THERE WAS NO PARADES OR
00:19:10NO NOTHING.
NOBODY CARED.
00:19:13AND IT WAS SAD.
I FELT REALLY DISAPPOINTED AND
00:19:18SAD WHEN I COME BACK TO MY
HOMETOWN.
00:19:21>> I HEARD SOLDIERS SAY THAT
THEY WERE SPIT AT OR THEY WERE
00:19:25CUSSED OUT FOR ANYTHING LIKE
THAT.
00:19:28I ALWAYS FELT I NEVER HAD
ANYTHING TO BE ASHAMED EVER.
00:19:31THOSE PEOPLE HAD MORE TO BE
WORRIED ABOUT.
00:19:33I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THOSE
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO QUESTION
00:19:35THEIR ACTIONS IN 20 YEARS WHERE
I AM NOT.
00:19:38AND I THINK THAT'S BECOME TRUE
TODAY THAT MOST ANTIWAR
00:19:42PROTESTERS THAT QUESTIONED THEIR
ACTIONS, MAYBE NOT THEIR
00:19:47BELIEFS, MAYBE THEY STILL
BELIEVE AND THERE IS REASON TO
00:19:49BELIEVE AND CERTAINLY ANYBODY
THAT'S SERVED IN A WAR NEVER
00:19:52WANTS TO GO TO WAR AGAIN AND I
HAVE HEARD THEM SAY IT OVER AND
00:19:56OVER AGAIN THAT THEY WERE WRONG
IN TAKING THEIR ANGER OUT ON THE
00:20:01VETERANS.
>> WHEN WE LEFT POST, THERE WERE
00:20:05PROTESTERS OUT THERE THAT JEERED
AT US AND CALLED US NAMES.
00:20:08>> I REMEMBER COMING BACK, I
SERVED ONE YEAR AND THEN
00:20:13RETURNED TO MY HOME BASE AT THAT
TIME ST. LOUIS, AND WENT TO
00:20:17VISIT SOME OLD FRIENDS WHO SAID
HI, GENE, HOW WILL YOU DOING,
00:20:24WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN.
AND I SAID I JUST GOT BACK FROM
00:20:29VIETNAM AND THEY WANTED TO TALK
ABOUT HOW ABOUT THOSE CARDINALS.
00:20:32>> WAIT A MINUTE FOLKS, THERE
ARE PEOPLE FIGHTING AND DYING
00:20:37OVER THERE.
THIS IS IMPORTANT.
00:20:38IT WAS LIKE IT WAS AN
EMBARRASSMENT.
00:20:42>> THE DEDICATION IS FOR THE
VETERANS AND IT'S ALL OHIO'S TAX
00:20:47DOLLARS THAT BUILT THAT THING
AND WHEN THEY COME AND VISIT
00:20:51THEY CAN WALK AWAY WITH A SENSE
OF PRIDE THAT THEY HELPED THE
00:20:56VETERANS.
>> I CONGRATULATE THE STATE OF
00:21:06OHIO FOR PUTTING THIS PLAZA
TOGETHER BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT
00:21:09THEIR HEART IS IN THE RIGHT
PLACE.
00:21:12THEY PAY DUE RESPECT TO THE
VETERANS WHO SERVED IN THE STATE
00:21:15OF OHIO AND ALL OVER THE UNITED
STATES, IT'S NOT JUST OHIO.
00:21:19ANY VETERAN IN THE UNITED STATES
CAN COME HERE AND SEE THIS
00:21:23PLAZA, AND IT SHOWS THAT THE
STATE OF OHIO CARES.
00:21:26>> THE HISTORY OF THIS GREAT
BUILDING IS BOUND BY THE MORTAR
00:21:30OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED TO
DEFEND OUR STATE AND THIS NATION
00:21:35AGAINST ITS ENEMIES.
NUMEROUS STATUTES, PAINTINGS AND
00:21:39PLAQUES DOT THE LANDSCAPE OF
CAPITOL SQUARE IN HONOR OF
00:21:45OHIO'S SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN FROM
THE WINGED VICTORY STATUE TO THE
00:21:49SOON TO BE CONSTRUCTED OHIO
VETERANS MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN THE
00:21:53STATE HOUSE SINGS THE PRAISES OF
THOSE WHO DEDICATED THEIR LIVES
00:21:57TO MILITARY SERVICE AND
SACRIFICE.
00:21:59>> THREE WEEKS AFTER I JOINED
THE NATIONAL GUARD I FOUND
00:22:03MYSELF CALLED UP FOR KOREA.
I SPENT FOUR YEARS ON ACTIVE
00:22:08DUTY WITH THE MARINE CORPORATE,
1967 TO 71.
00:22:14I ENTERED SERVICE IN DECEMBER OF
1967, I TOOK MY BASIC TRAINING
00:22:18IN GEORGIA.
I SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES
00:22:21ARMY, STARTED IN VIETNAM AS A
CAPTAIN WITH THE 509 SPECIAL
00:22:26INTELLIGENCE GROUP.
>> WAR IS A TRULY UGLY THING.
00:22:28IT SHOULD BE A COURSE OF LAST
RESORT ALWAYS.
00:22:31IT IS A FAILURE AND BREAKDOWN OF
ALL OF THE OTHER PARTS OF THE
00:22:36SYSTEM TOE COME TO REASONABLE
AGREEMENT WITH OTHER PEOPLE, BUT
00:22:39THERE ARE UGLIER THINGS, THE
FAILURE TO STOP HIT LER EARLIER,
00:22:47TO PREVENT WHAT HAPPENED AT
AUSCHWITZ IS FAR UGLIER THAN
00:22:54WAR.
TO PERMIT DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM
00:22:58KNOWING THE KIND OF LIFE OF
SERVE DOM PEOPLE WILL SUFFER,
00:23:04THAT'S UG LEER THAN WAR.
>> FREEDOMS WHICH WE ENJOY ARE
00:23:09COSTLY, MORE COSTLY THAN WE WANT
TO BELIEVE.
00:23:14THIS ARE COSTING LIVES, COSTING
MONEY, BUT I THINK MOST OF ALL
00:23:17IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE LOST
FRIENDS AND RELATIVES OF THE.
00:23:22>> FOR THE FOLKS THAT READ THE
LETTERS THAT ARE NOT VETERANS,
00:23:25I'M HOPING THAT THAT WILL SPARK
IN THEM SOME IDEA OF WHAT WE ALL
00:23:32WENT THROUGH BOTH IN PEACE TIME
AND WARTIME SO INSURE THIS
00:23:37LIFESTYLE THAT WE HAVE GOT.
AND FOR CHILDREN ESPECIALLY AS
00:23:45OUR COUNTRY HAS GROWN AND BEGUN
RAITIONS HAVE COME AND GONE IT
00:23:50APPEARS ON THE SURFACE IS THAT
EACH GENERATION HAS IT BETTER
00:23:53THAN THE LAST AND THE PRICE HAS
BEEN PAID IN BLOOD, SWEAT, A LOT
00:23:56OF HARD TIMES AND IT MAY HAVE TO
BE PAID AGAIN.
00:23:59I WANT THEM TO BE PREPARED FOR
THAT.
00:24:01>> THE BOTTOM LINE FOR US IS
PROTECTING THE WAY OF LIFE THAT
00:24:06WE KNOW, WE KNOW IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE WE LIVED IT.
00:24:09AND WE KNOW IS FRAJ GIL AND HAS
BEEN THREATENED THROUGHOUT
00:24:13HISTORY AND CONTINUES TO BE
THREATENED IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF
00:24:16WAYS AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE SERVE
IN OUR ARMED FORCES AND EVEN NOW
00:24:20ARE WILLING TO GO TO AN UGLY
THING BECAUSE THERE ARE UGLIER
00:24:27THINGS.
>> AFTER IT'S NEARLY 17-YEAR
00:24:32HISTORY OF PLANNING, DESIGN AND
CONSTRUCTION, THE OHIO VETERANS'
00:24:37PLAZA STANDS AS A LASTING
TRIBUTE TO THE VETERANS OF THIS
00:24:42STATE AND OF THIS COUNTRY.
IT'S A MONUMENT OF HISTORIC
00:24:46PROPORTIONS.
ITS MEANING TRANS SENDS ANY ONE
00:24:50WAR COMBINES ALL BRANCHES OF
ARMED FORCES AND IT IS THE FIRST
00:24:54MEMORIAL TO TELL THE STORY OF
MILITARY SERVICE IN THE
00:24:59SOLDIERS' OWN WORDS.
FOR THE FUTURE CEREMONIES THAT
00:25:02TAKE PLACE IN THIS SPACE AND FOR
EVERY VISITOR THAT IT GREETS, IT
00:25:06IS A PLAZA FOR REMEMBRANCE, FOR
REFLECTION, AND FOR HOPE.
00:25:12ITS A LASTING TRIBUTE FOR THOSE
WHO MADE AND WILL CONTINUE TO
00:25:17MAKE TREMENDOUS SACRIFICES TO
PROTECT OUR WAY OF LIFE.
00:25:21THE PLAZA STANDS IN HONOR OF
THOSE SACRIFICES OF THE LIVES
00:25:26THAT WERE CHANGED AND OF THE
LIVES THAT WERE LOST.
00:25:30LIKE THE STATE CAPITOL THAT
GRACES THE SKYLINE BEHIND IT,
00:25:34THE PLAZA TOO IS A SYMBOL OF THE
POWER OF THE PEOPLE.
00:25:38IT IS A SYMBOL OF WHO WE ARE AND
WHAT WE BELIEVE, AND A CONSTANT
00:25:44REMINDER THAT FREEDOM IS NOT
FREE.
00:26:24IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE A
INDIVIDUALLY CASSETTE COPY OF
00:26:27THIS PROGRAM, PLEASE CALL
1-888-OHIO-123.
00:26:33OR WRIGHT TO THE STATE HOUSE
MUSEUM GIFT SHOP, THE STATE
00:26:38HOUSE, COLUMBUS, OHIO, 43,215.
THE COST OF $20 WHICH INCLUDES
Note : Transcripts are compiled from uncorrected captions