Barry County vets honored on C of O memorial
Charlea Mills
Ten Barry County natives will be honored as part of a special dedication of the Missouri Vietnam Veterans Memorial at the College of the Ozarks on April 22 at 2:30 p.m.. The memorial, which honors fallen soldiers during the Vietnam War, will feature over 1,400 Missourians who died while serving their country. Decorated Vietnam War Veteran Oliver North will speak at the dedication.
The memorial will stand at the college’s entrance. College of the Ozarks was chosen as the site for the memorial by the Missouri state legislature during the 2014 session. The funding for the project came primarily from The Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar golf tournament, which gained them $500,000 for their volunteer efforts. Another $30,000 was given when they were named the Charity of the Year by the PGA Tour’s Champions Tour in January, according to a press release issued by the college.
The Barry County natives that will have a place on the memorial are: James Vincent Ballay, Galen Charles Brown, Carl Leon Bruton, Lindsey Houston Crow, William Rothrock Edmonson, Johnny Earl Frisk, Aaron Harvey Lowe, Timmy G. Mattingly, Howard Andrew Threet and Thomas Hubert Wolfe. The college extended invitations to the families of all of the Missouri men who died during the war to be present for the dedication of the memorial next week.
The Branson chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 913, was also integral in getting the memorial to College of the Ozarks. Former president of the chapter, Bob Sarver, approached the state and Dr. Davis with C of O. Davis then used the golf tournament as the funding for the project. Even a College of the Ozarks graduate, Austin Meyer, designed the memorial, and it is being constructed by staff and students of the college.
The design of the memorial includes two walls of names with a statue of Vietnam Veterans in the middle. The flower bed in the shape of a “V” represents valor and will be planted with red flowers to represent the blood shed by Missouri soldiers.
The ceremony is open to the public and will feature Vietnam War Veteran Oliver North, the FOX News Channel documentary host of “War Stories with Oliver North,” as well as a combat-decorated Marine and best selling author. Other observances will include music from the college’s choir, a 21-gun salute, and family members of the fallen will place single roses at the base of the walls.
Barry County Vietnam Veterans:
James Vincent Ballay, 21, of Monett, was a sergeant in the Army. His tour began June 12, 1969, until he was killed in action on the ground on May 12, 1970, in Cambodia.
Galen Charles Brown, 20, of Cassville, served in the Army as a specialist four on tour of duty that began January 13, 1969. He was killed in action on the ground on May 13, 1969, in Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam.
Carl Leon Bruton, 20, of Seligman, was a private first class in the Army. His tour lasted from January 10, 1970, until he was killed by an explosive device in Quang Ngai Province, South Vietnam, on April 14, 1970.
Lindsey Houston Crow, 34, of Viola, was a Chief Warrant Officer in the Army on a tour of duty that began on September 15, 1965. He was killed in a helicopter crash in Khanh Hoa Province, South Vietnam, on November 18, 1965.
William Rothrock Edmonson, 36, of Cassville, was a major in the United States Air Force. The details of the start of his tour are not known, but records indicate that the incident pertaining to his death occurred on May 31, 1966, in North Vietnam as an air loss.
Johnny Earl Frisk, 20, of Purdy, was a private first class in the Army. His tour began on February 25, 1968, and ended when he was killed by friendly fire in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam, on August 4, 1968.
Aaron Harvey Lowe, 24, of Cassville, was a specialist four in the Army. His tour began on August 3, 1968, and ended on May 12, 1969. He was killed as a ground casualty in the Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam.
Timmy G. Mattingly, 20, of Exeter, was a private first class in the Army. His tour of duty began on July 10, 1966, and ended on January 1, 1967, when he was killed by an explosive in Binh Thuan Province, South Vietnam.
Howard Andrew Threet, 20, of Monett, was a corporal in the Army. His tour of duty was March 24, 1968, until May 6, 1968, when he was killed on the ground in Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam.
Thomas Hubert Wolfe, 28, of Monett, was a captain in the United States Air Force. His tour start date was not recorded, but he crashed on land on June 28, 1966, and was declared dead on June 30, 1966.
Ten Barry County natives will be honored as part of a special dedication of the Missouri Vietnam Veterans Memorial at the College of the Ozarks on April 22 at 2:30 p.m.. The memorial, which honors fallen soldiers during the Vietnam War, will feature over 1,400 Missourians who died while serving their country. Decorated Vietnam War Veteran Oliver North will speak at the dedication.
The memorial will stand at the college’s entrance. College of the Ozarks was chosen as the site for the memorial by the Missouri state legislature during the 2014 session. The funding for the project came primarily from The Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar golf tournament, which gained them $500,000 for their volunteer efforts. Another $30,000 was given when they were named the Charity of the Year by the PGA Tour’s Champions Tour in January, according to a press release issued by the college.
The Barry County natives that will have a place on the memorial are: James Vincent Ballay, Galen Charles Brown, Carl Leon Bruton, Lindsey Houston Crow, William Rothrock Edmonson, Johnny Earl Frisk, Aaron Harvey Lowe, Timmy G. Mattingly, Howard Andrew Threet and Thomas Hubert Wolfe. The college extended invitations to the families of all of the Missouri men who died during the war to be present for the dedication of the memorial next week.
The Branson chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 913, was also integral in getting the memorial to College of the Ozarks. Former president of the chapter, Bob Sarver, approached the state and Dr. Davis with C of O. Davis then used the golf tournament as the funding for the project. Even a College of the Ozarks graduate, Austin Meyer, designed the memorial, and it is being constructed by staff and students of the college.
The design of the memorial includes two walls of names with a statue of Vietnam Veterans in the middle. The flower bed in the shape of a “V” represents valor and will be planted with red flowers to represent the blood shed by Missouri soldiers.
The ceremony is open to the public and will feature Vietnam War Veteran Oliver North, the FOX News Channel documentary host of “War Stories with Oliver North,” as well as a combat-decorated Marine and best selling author. Other observances will include music from the college’s choir, a 21-gun salute, and family members of the fallen will place single roses at the base of the walls.
Barry County Vietnam Veterans:
James Vincent Ballay, 21, of Monett, was a sergeant in the Army. His tour began June 12, 1969, until he was killed in action on the ground on May 12, 1970, in Cambodia.
Galen Charles Brown, 20, of Cassville, served in the Army as a specialist four on tour of duty that began January 13, 1969. He was killed in action on the ground on May 13, 1969, in Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam.
Carl Leon Bruton, 20, of Seligman, was a private first class in the Army. His tour lasted from January 10, 1970, until he was killed by an explosive device in Quang Ngai Province, South Vietnam, on April 14, 1970.
Lindsey Houston Crow, 34, of Viola, was a Chief Warrant Officer in the Army on a tour of duty that began on September 15, 1965. He was killed in a helicopter crash in Khanh Hoa Province, South Vietnam, on November 18, 1965.
William Rothrock Edmonson, 36, of Cassville, was a major in the United States Air Force. The details of the start of his tour are not known, but records indicate that the incident pertaining to his death occurred on May 31, 1966, in North Vietnam as an air loss.
Johnny Earl Frisk, 20, of Purdy, was a private first class in the Army. His tour began on February 25, 1968, and ended when he was killed by friendly fire in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam, on August 4, 1968.
Aaron Harvey Lowe, 24, of Cassville, was a specialist four in the Army. His tour began on August 3, 1968, and ended on May 12, 1969. He was killed as a ground casualty in the Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam.
Timmy G. Mattingly, 20, of Exeter, was a private first class in the Army. His tour of duty began on July 10, 1966, and ended on January 1, 1967, when he was killed by an explosive in Binh Thuan Province, South Vietnam.
Howard Andrew Threet, 20, of Monett, was a corporal in the Army. His tour of duty was March 24, 1968, until May 6, 1968, when he was killed on the ground in Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam.
Thomas Hubert Wolfe, 28, of Monett, was a captain in the United States Air Force. His tour start date was not recorded, but he crashed on land on June 28, 1966, and was declared dead on June 30, 1966.