This is a copy of a letter from Squadron veteran and 25th Division Association officer Dave Garrod, Co-Chairman of the 25th Infantry Division Memorial, which explains the Memorial Courtyard brick program. The original letter was sent to another 3/4 Cav veteran.
Dear Jimmy,
I am writing you today as the co-chair of fund raising for the Schofield Memorial and as a fellow Cav Trooper. We are far short of our goal to raise the money to complete the Memorial in time for dedication on 29 September 2006, Tropic Lightning Day during the 25th IDA reunion in Hawaii. Our WWII and Korean Veterans deserve to see their statues on the Monument before more time elapses and we loose more of our comrades who shaped the storied history of this great division.
If you haven’t already given to the Monument, please consider doing so now. We have started a ceremonial courtyard project that we hope will put us over the top on fund raising by the deadline of 28 Feb. 2006. As a member or family of the ¾ Cavalry during Tet 1968, you should be interested in participating in this project that will put a ceremonial courtyard/patio adjacent to the Monument to facilitate today’s Soldiers during reenlistment and promotion ceremonies at the Monument site. I have designed and reserved a section of the courtyard to pay tribute to our KIA’s on 30 & 31 January 1968. Enclosed you will see a mock up of the section I have in mind. The cost of this tribute will be $2,050.00 if we order before 31 January 2006. I am sending this letter to 20 Cav Troopers who I have addresses for. If we divide this cost equally, it would come to $102.50 each. But, whatever you feel comfortable paying would be greatly appreciated. Please consider sending a check to our headquarters along with a copy of the mock up, so they know how to handle the order.
If you wish to purchase a commemorative brick with your name or that of another buddy killed in action, there are engraved brick order forms also enclosed with instructions on how to complete them. These additional ¾ Cavalry names will be in the same section of the courtyard as the TET ’68 tribute. I will keep an eye out for duplications and contact those duplicate donors to see if they wish to change their choice.
Please write the check today and mark these lost comrades names in history and if you choose, your name also. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Dave Garrod
See the mockup showing what the Memorial Courtyard bricks will look like.