Area Soldiers Killed in Vietnam Honored by Family and Friends

WESTLAKE VILLAGE â€”  One by one, the names engraved on the wall were read aloud: Harvey C. Addison of Ojai . . . Frank R. Allender of Ventura . . . David W. Ayers of Simi Valley . . . David Z. Balades of Oxnard.

These four are among the 106 Ventura County servicemen who died in the Vietnam War and whose names are etched in a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.

On Thursday evening, family and friends of the dead gathered at Pierce Bros. Valley Oaks Memorial in Westlake Village to honor these local heroes for the ultimate sacrifice they made for their country.

The ceremony began with a flyover by two C-130 planes piloted by members of the 146th Airlift Wing of the California Air National Guard, based at Channel Islands.

A chaplain then crossed a small stage and reflected on how nearly 60,000 American men and women died in Vietnam and that the names of those fallen heroes represent many funerals and many tears.

A memorial wreath was placed on stage, its backdrop the massive black granite replica. A vocalist sang the National Anthem.

After the names of Ventura County’s fallen were read aloud, Marine Sgt. Paul Mole played taps on his bugle, and dozens of white doves were released into the early evening sky.

While most of the birds flew off together, one lone dove soared in another direction, reminiscent of the “missing-man� aircraft formation so often flown by military pilots over the funerals of fallen comrades in arms.

Several people remarked on the symbolism of the lone dove and the poignancy of its solo flight during a ceremony that had brought so many families together to remember.

Thirty-six-year-old Shauna Chuchian said she was drawn to the event by the memory of her older brother, Keith Stewart, who died in Vietnam in 1968 when Shauna was only 5 years old.

“I remember how he was, this big mountain [of a guy] who would pick me up and play with me. Once he grew a mustache and decided to shave it off, because I wouldn’t let him kiss me with it,� Chuchian recalled.

“I’ll never forget when my mother was told that he was killed. The soldiers came to our door. I didn’t understand why the brother I adored was not coming back,� she added.

For Camarillo residents Benjamin Poteet and his wife, Catherine, the pilgrimage to the wall was about honoring and respecting the sacrifice made by their son, Thomas Poteet. But it was also about moving past the pain.

“I’m so glad they did this. It means a lot to us to know our son has not been forgotten,� said Catherine Poteet. “This helps give families closure.�

Benjamin Poteet took a laminated photo of a handsome soldier in uniform from his wallet and looked closely at it for a long time, standing in silence. Thomas died at age 20 on April 3, 1967, he said.

The Poteets stood at the wall near their son’s name after using one of the slips of paper wall volunteers were handing out to make a rubbing of their son’s name as a memento.

The ceremony was followed by a concert by the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West from Travis Air Force Base near Vacaville.

While the band played, family members of the soldiers placed single-stemmed carnations and small American flags near the engraved names of their loved ones.

The half-scale model of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, which is about 24 feet long and 90 inches tall, will be on display at the memorial park through Monday.

At 11 a.m. Saturday there will be a dedication ceremony. That evening at 7, volunteers will take turns continuously reading all 59,219 names. The reading of the names is expected to take 49 hours, after which there will be a candlelight ceremony at 8 p.m. Monday.

The memorial wall is open to the public 24 hours a day through 8 p.m. Monday night and viewing it is free.

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Times Community News reporter Holly J. Wolcott contributed to this story.