Veteran’s Memorial

The silence here is heavy. It isn’t just the silence of the dead, but the silence of those who never got the chance to live out their years. This is Veteran’s Memorial, a place dedicated to the memory of the brave men and women from Harris, Waller, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Liberty, and Galveston Counties who gave their lives for our freedom. The Vietnam Combat Veterans Association of Houston poured their hearts and souls into creating this monument, wanting to ensure that these fallen warriors wouldn’t become just names on a page. They wanted to preserve their stories, their faces, their memories, for future generations. Imagine a time when those fighting for our freedom were not welcomed home with open arms. They weren’t always held in high esteem, seen as heroes, even though they had faced combat, witnessed bloodshed, and seen death. But, as the commander of the VCVA, Ben Gutierrez, said, “Good can come out of tragedy if we document, read, and remind today’s generation of why history must never be repeated.” This monument, which opened on November 10, 2022, stands as a testament to that belief. It allows us to honor their incredible sacrifices and to acknowledge the pain and the struggles they may have faced. So, let us remember their stories. Let us never forget their sacrifice. Let us ensure that their stories are not just preserved, but that they are passed down to future generations. They deserve to be remembered. They are heroes.