“Sorry I missed you yesterday. I was busy. Say I’ve been told it’s a good idea to number yours and mine letters so that if one gets lost in the mail we’ll know it. I’ll call this #1. …”

That began the first letter Lieutenant Barry C. Kellenbenz wrote to his wife Karen while serving in Vietnam on January 18, 1969.

“Want to know how we live here – well … if you have time you build a hooch [thatched hut]of ponchos, put your air mattress on the ground and wrap up in your poncho liner (like a thick quilt – pretty warm), put plastic on one end to keep the rain out. And you might carry a light nylon hammock or you wrap up in your poncho liner and poncho and just lie down on the ground…”

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. As towns and villages throughout the country join together to remember and honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, constant reminders and memorials can be found throughout our area.

The Reedsville Area Veterans Memorial Park brings together the Reedsville AMVETS Post 1032 and the American Legion Gosz-Novak Post 199 to pay tribute to those who have served in the area. A main feature of the park is a T-33A United States Air Force military aircraft.