News and Events
Children of the Fallen
To commemorate Memorial Day, the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial (PVVM) is conducting a search for children or relatives of the 648 honored on the Wall of Names. The Memorial plans to hold a special ceremony for remembrances of those who perished in the war.
PVVM hopes to find family stories like that of SP4 Angelo Carmelo Santiago whose daughter, Jeanette Santiago Vargas, was only two years old when her father was killed in Vietnam in June 6, 1968. The Kensington native was one of the 64 from Thomas Edison High School to be killed in Vietnam.
PVVM Treasurer Darryrl Johnson tracked down Ms. Vargas, who currently lives in Florida, through relatives. She has little memory of her father, but recalls how her widowed mother, Carmen, struggled to build a life for her. With only an 8th grade education, her mother went on to earn her high school and college diplomas. She eventually went to law school and became a prominent federal judge in Puerto Rico.
This reminds us of the impact on the families left behind and how the legacy of sacrifice also has been a source of inspiration.
The PVVM web site, pvvm.org, lists 29 names and the number of immediate family who are known, but not yet found. If anyone can put us in touch with relatives of the fallen, they can contact Board Member Pat Mitchell at 610-637-3013, who is heading the search project, or Board Member Gerry Miller at 610-937-7929.
The information on the 32 along with bios of all the fallen was the result of the Philadelphia Daily News, which over the course of two editions listed those who were lost in the war and the number of known family members.
PVVM Children of the Fallen
Name Year of Loss Community Children
- Rowland J Adamoli#3 1965 Germantown daughter
- Joe Amos#14 1967 son/daughter
- William Barot #29 1966 2 sons/3 daughters
- George J. Belancin#35 1968 Point Breeze 2 daughters
- Lural Blevins #45 (MIA)* 1968 North Phila daughter
- Bryant Brayboy Jr.#52 1965 North Phila daughter
- Zachrie Brookins Jr.#59 1966 North Phila 2 daughters
- Richard Brooks III #60 1967 expecting first child
- Robert Campbell #73 1965 North Phila son
- William Chapman Jr.#89 1968 North Phila 3 daughters
- Alexander Cooper#115 1967 Jules Mastbaum 3 daughters
- Charles E. Dyson Jr.#152 1966 North Phila 2 daughters
- Jerry M. Foy#176 1971 West Phila son/daughter
- Robert Hanna#221 1966 Dobbins Tech son/3daughters
- Howard W. Johnson #274 1972 Simon Gratz 2 sons/2 daughters
- Joe T. Johnson#275 1966 North Phila son
- Roosevelt Jones#282 1968 2 sons/daughter
- William Jones#283 1966 North Phila 2 sons/daughter
- Herbert Kirk#298 (MIA)** 1968 Northeast 2 sons
- Peter Kretzchmar#304 1968 son
- Andrew Machristie#338 1970 3 sons/daughter
- Edwin MacNamara#340 1966 4 sons/daughter
- Nathaniel Phillips#436 1970 Ben Franklin 3 sons/6 daughters
- Antonio Solis#536 1966 2 sons
- James Stancell Jr.#544 1968 South Phila son/d—er/step d—er
26. Joseph Stojinski Jr.#552 1970 son
27. Henry Tipping#571 (MIA)** 1968 2 daughters
28. Ervin Warren#592 (MIA)* 1966 son/stepson/step d—er
29. Tyrone Watson#595 1970 step daughter
MIA*: missing in action remains recovered
MIA**: missing in action body not recovered