Orangeburg, SC Man Honors Viet Nam Hero Father With Reburial at Arlington National Cemetery

Feb. 20, 2014 - PRLog -- Armstrong Media Services 5214 F Diamond Heights Blvd #609

San Francisco, CA 94131

Orangeburg Family To Pay Tribute to Viet Nam Era Fallen War Hero Father Connected to Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara with Arlington National Cemetery Reburial with Wife

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Orangeburg, South Carolina-Orangeburg resident, Stanley Wright and wife Viola Barnes Wright are preparing to pay tribute to Wright’s parents by having their remains moved to Arlington National Cemetery for a March 10, 2014 ceremony in Arlington Virginia.

Spearheaded by the oldest child of Sp5 Wyley Wright Jr. (December 10, 1931-March 9, 1964) and Ouida McLendon Wright (January 10, 1935-March 9, 1970), after a family reunion in Jacksonville, Florida, July 4^th weekend in 2012, the siblings Jackie, Joe, Stanley and Phyllis agreed to find out what it would take to move their father from a segregated cemetery to Arlington National Cemetery.

"Our Dad, died in Viet Nam after completing a rigorous year of regular missions with honors, just two weeks before returning home as he served on an additional mission as honor guard for then Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara,” said Stanley Wright, 55, the youngest son of the Wrights. "Over the years, the City of Jacksonville did not up keep the segregated cemeteries in northern Jacksonville as the news reports and articles had indicated they would do.  Our war hero father is buried in one of them, Mt. Olive Cemetery.”

The Wrights note that their family story was an indicator McNamara and U.S. leadership ignored.  Although he saw the tragedy of war on March 9, 1964 early in the Viet Nam Conflict, McNamara escalated the war during the Johnson administration and went to his death on July 6, 2009 at the age of 93 regretting his actions.  His 1995 memoir, "In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam and the Oscar-winning documentary film "The Fog of War” expressed those regrets.

When the Wrights started their journey to have their father honored at Arlington, they began to realize that it would be an appropriate honor to pay tribute to their mother as well who is buried in Green Acres Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia that by contrast is a well-kept historic cemetery.

"There was a great bound of love between our parents, a match made in heaven.  We have often thought about whether we would be here today, if it had not been for media, said Stanley Wright.  By the happenstance of one of my father’s fellow soldiers returning from the Korean War, dropping a photo of our mom, then Miss Frederick Douglass and my father picking it up, as a result we are here today.   With love at first sight he said to himself, "this is my wife,” so we four siblings stand as their offspring and now they have great grandchildren although they were in their early thirties when they died, six years apart,” added Wright.

"This memorial at Arlington comes as a significant time for us as we celebrate life and we honor our parents,” said Wright.  "Our daughter is alive and recuperating now from a senseless deadly accident caused by a drunk driver last November,” said Wright.  "We give thanks to God that Alliyah, who is just starting out in life survived and will be able to honor her grandparents with us.  We honor them and reflect with sadness on the passing of our daughter’s friend Anise Portis at the tender age of 19. The honoring of the dead is something that should never be forgotten.  It helps us respect and treasure life,” added Wright.

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