Documenting the American South

Monument Name

Wayne County Vietnam War Memorial, Goldsboro

Type

Plaque

Subjects

Vietnam War, 1960-1975

City

Goldsboro

County

Wayne

Description

The memorial listing dead from the Vietnam War consist of two rectangular slabs of pink granite lying flush with the ground. The smaller of two pieces list two names killed in action, the memorial sponsor and date. The larger piece list lists twenty-five names killed in action and six names of those missing in action.

Images: Inscriptions on stones | Far-off view

Inscription

Upper stone: KILLED IN ACTION / BILLY W. MCKEEL, SSGT. U.S. ARMY / MISSING IN ACTION / JOSEPH N. HARGROVE, LCPL. U.S.M.C. / PRESENTED BY GOLDSBORO JAYCEES – 1974

Lower stone: IN HONOR OF THESE WAYNE COUNTY MEN WHO GAVE SO MUCH IN VIETNAM / [Left column] KILLED IN ACTION / BALLREE, EMMETT E. SGT. U.S. ARMY / COATES, JAMES R. SP4 U.S. ARMY / CRAWFORD, WILLIAM D. SFC. U.S ARMY / DANIELS, DONALD E. SP4 U.S. ARMY / DE VANEY, JAMES P. CPL. U.S. ARMY / HARDY, PHILLIP D. CPL. U.S. ARMY / HOWELL, ERNEST R. LT. COL. U.S. ARMY / HOWELL, RALPH SSGT. U.S. ARMY / JONES, STOKELY J. SGT. U.S. ARMY / JONES, WILBERT E. SP4 U.S. ARMY / PARRISH, RUDOLPH S. PFC. U.S. ARMY / PEARSALL, HERBERT, JR. SGT. U.S. ARMY / PIGFORD, PHILLIP W. SGT. U.S. ARMY / RIGGS, RICHARD V. SSGT. U.S. ARMY / TOLER, EDMUND R. PFC. U.S. ARMY / VICK, ALBERT, JR. SP4. U.S. ARMY / [Right column] WATSON, RICHARD W. CAPT. U.S. ARMY / SUTTON, WILLIAM C. MSGT. U.S. AIR FORCE / BORDEN, WILLIAM JR. CAPT. U.S. AIRFORCE / GRANTHAM, JOSEPH M. III PFC. U.S. MARINE CORPS / HOWELL, CASCO D. PVT. U.S. MARINE CORPS / JENKINS, DAN L. LCPL. U.S. MARINE CORPS / LANE, BOBBY R. PVT. U.S. MARINE CORPS / POWER, GEORGE P. LCPL. U.S. MARINE CORPS / VAN HOY, KENNETH E. ATNL. U.S. NAVY / MISSING IN ACTION / DAVIS, EDGAR F. MAY. U.S. AIR FORCE / CORNELIUS, SAMUEL B. CAPT. U.S. AIR FORCE / GOVAN, ROBERT A. LT. COL. U.S AIR FORCE / HAIL WILLIAM W. LT. COL. U.S. AIR FORCE / IRWIN, ROBERT H. MAJ. U.S. AIR FORCE / UNDERWOOD, PAUL G. COL. U.S AIR FORCE

Custodian

City of Goldsboro Parks and Recreation Department

Dedication Date

1974

Decade

1970s

Geographic Coordinates

35.382310 , -77.993940 View in Geobrowse

Supporting Sources

"Wayne County Veterans Memorial - Goldsboro, NC." Waymarking.com, (accessed July 23, 2015) Link

Wayne County Veterans Memorial, Goldsboro, NC, http://www.wayneveteransmemorial.org/, (accessed November 8, 2016) Link

Public Site

Yes

Materials & Techniques

Pink Granite

Sponsors

Goldsboro Jaycees

Location

The Vietnam War memorial is located at the Wayne County Veterans Memorial complex at the intersection of E Walnut and N William Streets, in downtown Goldsboro, NC. The Vietnam War memorial can be found down a walkway to the right of the park's memorial wall which also holds a separate plaque to Vietnam War casualties. The Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Veterans Memorial is also located in the memorial park.
The WWI Doughboy Statue and John Lawson memorial are across East Walnut street, in front of the Wayne County Courthouse at 224 East Walnut Street, Goldsboro, NC. A bronze plaque commemorating the 75th anniversary of the First Pentecostal Holiness Church is attached to the left support column of the courthouse building.

Landscape

The memorial sits on the lawn, surrounded by bushes and seasonal plants.

Former Locations

The memorial was relocated to the Wayne County Veterans Memorial site in 2011. The previous location was not determined.

Post Dedication Use

Veterans and Memorial Day services are held at the Veterans Memorial. The park is also available for rent for private functions. The intent is for the site to be actively used for veterans' activities, community events, concerts, and visits by community groups, thus continuing its role as a living memorial.