Veterans group pushes for new Vietnam War memorial dedicated to Atlanta soldiers

ATLANTA — A group of veterans is leading a charge to have a wall built in honor of Atlantans who died or were missing in action during the Vietnam War.

The Sons of Atlanta tell Channel 2's Lori Wilson they want a wall built at Piedmont Park and have asked the city to step in.

Organizers say it's important Atlanta builds its own memorial separate from the state's statue in front of the James "Sloppy" Floyd Veterans Memorial Building.

Vietnam veteran Eldson McGhee thinks about those who served alongside him every day.

"We didn't actually know each other by name. We knew each other by hometown. Somebody came in from Atlanta. 'Atlanta you got a homeboy here,'" McGhee told Wilson.

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Atlanta served as an important connection while McGhee served in Vietnam. It's the reason he and other veterans are pushing for the memorial.

"The city that they helped build with the sacrifice that they made, they're not recognized. It's like being left out of the history of Atlanta," he said.

McGhee is thankful for the state's Vietnam memorial that sits downtown and lists the names of Georgians that died. But it's important to the group that the city creates its own.

"We're known as the city too busy to hate. Apparently not too busy to honor. So that's what we're trying to do," Vietnam veteran Anthony Merritt said.

City councilman Michael Bond wrote a resolution stating the city would work with the Sons of Atlanta to get the project done. The group meets Wednesday with the city's parks and recreation department.

You can learn more about the project at SonsofAtlanta.org

Cox Media Group