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Fifteen
years ago at a POW/MIA rally in Washington D.C. Ric Gidner and Ed Johnson
both Vietnam Veterans, met for the first time Canadian's who served during
the Vietnam War. As the weekend progressed Ric and Ed learned many
things about their Canadian counterparts. First and foremost, the
majority of Canadian's who came across the border between the United
States and Canada enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces were
volunteers. Second, the Canadian Government refused to recognize
these brave individuals who came across the border to fight in a war that
was not theirs. They were considered mercenaries by their own
Government and by the population as well. Third, that between 30,000
and 40,000 Canadian's served in U.S. Forces during the Vietnam War.
How many American sons came home because of a Canadian's supreme sacrifice.
Something had to be done or these brave Canadian's would never be
recognized for the sacrifices they made in the name of freedom. So,
in 1986 the fight began, promises made, and the Canadian Vietnam Veterans
Welcome Home Committee was formed. After three years of hard work
the Committee did a Welcome Home event at the Michigan State Fair Grounds
on July 4th, 1989 to help raise money for a memorial that they promised
the Canadian's. The event was a success for the Canadian's this was
the first time they were welcomed home even though it wasn't on Canadian
soil. They took part in parades and were cheered as they marched
along side their American brothers. Finally, they were shown the
respect and given the honor they so justly deserved. But, the event
took it's toll on the Welcome Home Committee. They went bust
financially and never raised the money needed to pay for the event let
alone raise money for a memorial. The Committee disbanded and its
members went their separate ways. Then, a year later on July 4th,
1990, Ric Gidner and Ed Johnson got together to celebrate July 4th.
It was during this celebration that they both realized that they still had
unfinished work to do, giving honor to their Canadian brothers by building
a memorial of their own. So they began the task of first designing
one, and then raising the funds that would be needed to build it.
That's when Chris Reynolds, Ric's brother-in-law, walked up, picked up a
napkin and drew an outline of the structure that stands today in Windsor,
Ontario. They had their design, now they needed to figure out what
material to use to build it and how to pay for it. The original
memorial was to be built out of plywood so the Canadian veterans could
transport it all across Canada raising public awareness. But then
Ric, who did two tours in Vietnam with the Marine's, made a connection and
suddenly the memorial went from plywood to granite the same granite
that was used for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.
Ironically the granite would come from Montreal, Canada. Chris
joined Ric and Ed and they changed the name of the Canadian Vietnam
Veterans Welcome Home Committee to M.A.C.V. (Michigan Association of
Concerned Veterans) in order to keep the non-for-profit status.
M.A.C.V. contacted the Canadian Vietnam Veterans and informed them that
they would get their own memorial. Then M.A.C.V. formed committees
with the different Canadian organizations and began its fight with
the Canadian Government. Over the next four years Ric, Chris, and Ed
made countless trips to Canada. They took their fight to Ottawa the
capital of Canada in an effort to place the Memorial there. Then, in
1994 the Canadian Senate passed the bill that would allow the memorial to
be erected but Parliament voted it down. Now M.A.C.V. had to find a
new home for the Memorial. Meantime, the granite was ordered and
work had begun on the steel structure. Funding became non-existent
so Ric, Chris and Ed paid for everything themselves. They ran up
credit cards, used retirement funds and even second mortgaged their homes
to pay for everything. But the Memorial was slowly becoming a
reality and their dream along with hundreds of Canadian Vietnam Veterans
was going to come true. But they still needed a home for the
memorial. Several alternative locations were looked at and
considered but Windsor, Ontario was first on the list. Then in April
of 1995 the Mayor's office in Windsor, Ontario contacted Ric and wanted a
meeting. In May, the City Council passed a resolution granting
M.A.C.V. the land needed for the Memorial. And on July 2nd, 1995 the
Canadian Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated. Veterans
organizations from Canada and the United States showed up in force.
There were special guest speakers including Senator Jack Marshall who
fought the hardest in the Canadian Senate to gain approval for the
Memorial, the Mayor of Windsor Michael Hurst, who supported the Memorial
unconditionally, and has become a true champion of veterans of both
nations. It took 15 years of hard fighting, politics, dead ends, and
disappointments to make the memorial what it is today. Since the
beginning, from the fight to get a memorial to actually building and
funding the memorial, including getting the land to place it, M.A.C.V. and
those who helped them, have always been committed that we would never
loose sight of what the memorial represents, honor and respect. We
wish to thank all those who have been with us through the thick of the
fight including the tears and hugs during the dedication and the many
years after. For with out you this memorial would never have
happened.
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