The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – On June 14, 2025, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund added the names of 774 American Vietnam veterans to their IN MEMORY Program at a special ceremony held at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, VA. Fourteen of those veterans were from the Alleghany Highlands.
It seems only fitting that we honor these Vietnam Veterans one more time. My heart is full as I do this Wall of Valor because it contains three of my family members and men I knew from high school.
It was truly an honor to work with some of these family members as they paid tribute to their loved ones. Not shown on this Wall of Valor is my uncle, James Berkeley Paxton, SS United States Air Force who passed away at a young age from agent orange while he in service to his country. May
they never be forgotten.
The IN MEMORY Program is a way to honor your Vietnam Veteran who returned home and later died. This program is part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund traveling Wall that Heals. The mobile Education Center has a screen where they show those veterans on the Vietnam Wall and those
veterans who died as a result of the Vietnam War and a part of this program. The screens change for each location they visit.
The IN MEMORY Program is an ongoing program and each year on Saturday during Father’s Day weekend they add new names that have been submitted by their familes. If there is anyone who wants to add their loved one to the book and needs help, please contact Marian Paxton at 843-653-
6098 or by email at marianpaxton@gmail.com.
Thank you to these Vietnam Veterans who “gave all” in service to our country. We salute you.
Our next Wall of Valor will honor those American soldiers from the wars following Vietnam – Afghanistan, Irag, Gulf War and others. If you have a loved one who served in these later wars and are still serving and you would like to be a part of our next Wall, please contact Marian Paxton.
The following veterans were added to the Wall of Valor:
IN MEMORY TRIBUTE
Robert Gene Ailstock – Covington
12/07/1948 – December 30, 2024
Branch of Service: Navy
Gary Lee Brackenridge – Covington
09/23/1949 – September 12. 2019
Branch of Service: Army
Edwin Ballard Carter III – Covington
10/02/1945 – December 21. 2017
Branch of Service: Army
Richard Calvin Fridley – Covington
03/25/1945 – January 22, 2023
Branch of Service: Army
Sherman Nathaniel Holloway, Sr. Covington**
Past Commander VFW Post 1033
01/14/1944 – May 7, 2015
Branch of Service: Army
Wesley Monroe Keith – Covington
04/15/1947 – August 17, 2017
Branch of Service: Army
Stephan Berkley Martin – Covington
12/15/1947 – October 20, 2003
Branch of Service: Army
Thomas Edward McCauley – Covington
03/05/1950 – January 1, 2023
Branch of Service: Army
Bobby Lee Mines – Low Moor
04/06/1947 – September 15, 2014
Branch of service: Army
Richard Michael Mundy – Covington
08/06/1954 – May 10, 2007
Branch of Service: Marine Corps
Abraham Thompson III – Clifton Forge
05/12/1949 – March 3, 2004
Branch of Service: Army
James Coleman Tucker – Covington
12/17/1946 – September 3, 1968
Branch of Service: Marine Corps
Danny Hart Vess – Covington
01/09/1947 – February 14, 2024
Branch of Service: Marine Corps
Obie Silas Vest – Clifton Forge
01/28/1948 – June 11, 2024
Branch of Service: Army
