To the Editor:
Douglas Lee O’Neill Remembrance Day. The date was April 5, 1972, in South Vietnam, Douglas Lee O’Neill the pilot and four other crewmen were on a standard resupply mission flying between Da Nang and Quang Tri City when their helicopter was shot down. It has been 43 years since we last heard from Douglas. He’s the only service member from Hudson County listed as a POW/MIA from the Vietnam War. This is an annual vigil sponsored by The Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 151, but is open to all veterans from Hudson County. Over the past few years support for the POW/MIA issue has dwindled and kept alive by the veterans’ organizations. In the past few years we have seen fewer and fewer POW/MIA flags flying on our public buildings, schools, homes, and at Bayonne Medical Center. We need to turn this around and bring that support back to the forefront so that the people of our county do not forget “When one American soldier is not worth the effort to be found, we as Americans have lost.” This is our job, our mission. As a nation, we have always looked to our servicemen and women as examples of courage and sacrifice. On April 4 we honor and remember one of our own, Douglas O’Neill. Douglas was a graduate of Bayonne High School, class of 1967. We invite all who knew Douglas either through school, family, friends, and all our brothers and sisters from all our local veterans’ posts, to join us in remembering Douglas and praying for the day when he comes home, but let us also not forget all our brothers who went off to war and never came home, who are also listed as POW/MIA. For it is the not knowing that hurts the most. We all wait for that day when we can welcome them home. On Saturday, April 4, join us at the Douglas L. O’Neill POW/MIA Remembrance Tree on 39th street and the Boulevard in Bayonne in whatever way you can between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Maybe through our thoughts and prayers we can bring final closure to the O’Neill family and to us veterans of the Vietnam War who have been waiting to welcome our brother Douglas home: Douglas Lee O’Neill; W3/US Army; Headquarters & /Headquarters Detachment, 37th Signal Battalion, 1st Signal Brigade; born August 3, 1948 (Teaneck N.J.; home, Bayonne N.J.; lost April, 3, 1972, South Vietnam; MIA).
MIKE WILSON
Secretary Vietnam Veterans of America North Jersey Chapter 151