Letter to the Hon. Sean Starkley, Acting Secretary of the Navy - Requesting Support in Honoring Sailors Not Included in Vietnam War Memorial
Letter
Dear Acting Secretary Stackley,
I am writing to you, as I have to your predecessor, on behalf of the 74 sailors lost aboard the U.S.S. Frank E. Evans on June 3, 1969. It is my request, and the request of the survivors and the families of the fallen, that they be added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Those aboard were essential to the American military efforts in Vietnam, and their presence in the South China Sea was a directly linked to the war. By withholding their names from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, we are denying the deceased crewmembers of the USS Frank E. Evans proper recognition for their brave and noble service, and closure for their long-suffering families.
Just a few days after it provided fire for ground troops in Vietnamese waters, the U.S.S. Frank E. Evans was cut in half after it collided with an Australian aircraft carrier during a joint naval exercise in the South China Sea. Seventy-four American sailors -- all of whom were likely to return to the conflict after the exercise -- were killed in the wreckage. However, because the tragedy was deemed to have taken place outside of the designated combat zone, the crew was ineligible for inclusion on the Vietnamese Veterans Memorial.
For years, surviving crewmembers and relatives of the fallen sailors have struggled to understand why geographical lines supersede recognition of service, particularly when numerous exceptions have been made since the memorial's construction. Their combat-related service deserves acknowledgment upon the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, just as it warranted receipt of the Vietnam Service Medal.
Secretary Mabus remained supportive of this request until the end of his term. I urge you to support the families'request as well. Thank you for your consideration of this request. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or my staff.
Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator
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