by Linda Salisbury

As a nineteen-year-old Louisa native, Travis Daniel was waiting with his wife Winnie and his parents for a train at the Louisa station on very cold day in January 1968. His family was there to see him off for Richmond and the U.S. Army induction center. “It was one of the saddest days of my life, plus the day I left for Vietnam,” he said. “Everyone was upset not knowing when we would see each other again.”

Daniel served in Vietnam at Tay Ninh from July 1969 to August 1970 in the Army’s Signal Corps. He was there 387 days to be exact. His departure for the war was similar to that of so many others of his generation and those before them.

His good friend, Tommy Nelson, explained, “When drafted, I went by bus that picked you up in [the] town of Louisa. I felt anxious, as I had never been to many places before as a country boy.”

Nelson added that he was drafted and inducted in October 1966 and that he was hopeful that teaching radio teletype at Fort Gordon, Georgia, would spare him from going to war. However, with not even a year left in the war, his name came up. He was sent to Vietnam in January 1968.

Daniel and Nelson were among the lucky ones who made it home. Other Louisa residents of this and other wars were not as fortunate.

After induction, Daniel found himself in basic training at Fort Gordon  with Ronald L. Morris, also from Louisa. Morris was killed shortly after he arrived in Gia Dinh on July 7, 1969,  when a plane crashed into his Army barracks.

Besides Morris, Louisa County lost two more of its own during the Vietnam Ware:  Mineral residents Gordon McClary and Calvin Strong.

McClary was killed in action in Binh Long province from combat wounds on November 24, 1967, just seven months after beginning his tour of duty. Strong was killed in action a day earlier in Quang Tin province. Those who died were later honored with service medals, including Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars, and their names are engraved on monuments and walls.

After his discharge, Daniel attended Smithdeal Massey Business School and graduated with a degree in business. He worked in whole paper distribution all of his career, first at Richmond Paper, then Virginia Paper/Zellerbach, and finally Lindenmeyr Munroe. Though living in Henrico, he still has close ties with Louisa and continues to think about its veterans, those who died overseas, and survivors.

Fallen soldier Calvin Morris Strong (photo courtesy of Vietnam Virtual Wall).

Earlier this year, Daniel visited the new Virginia War Memorial in Richmond  (www.vawarmemorial.org).  He felt that more needed to be done to honor the men and women from Louisa who had made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Most of those honored on the memorial were killed in action in WWII, others in Vietnam or Korea. He recognized three names of Vietnam casualties among the 41 Louisa County veterans who died.

After seeing these familiar names, he was stirred to take action. He wanted to be sure those from Louisa would never be forgotten, so he began searching for ways to make this happen.

Daniel was on vacation when he saw Purple Heart banners on display in another town and thought, “They look awesome!” He was inspired to do something similar to honor all the Louisa County soldiers who had died in various wars.

His classmates who still live in Louisa immediately joined him as the idea took shape. These included Tommy Nelson (a childhood next door neighbor, Vietnam veteran, and popular local DJ), Manning Woodward (who works at Woodward Insurance Agency, LLC, which is now owned by his son), and Becky Guinn (a title insurance underwriter).

The Hometown Heroes Fallen Soldiers Project that they began involves raising funds, building public support, and designing special flags. “Our goal is to create individual banners for each of the 41 fallen service members,” Daniel explained. “These banners feature their names, when they served, their branch of service, and their service medals. It’s important to us that each banner reflects the unique and individual sacrifice of each veteran.”

The Louisa County fundraising campaign took off with a goal $10,000. “We needed a non-profit arm; that’s where [we] received support from the Military Order of Purple Hearts in Richmond,” Daniel said. “We are honored to work with them.”

Guinn has special reasons for participating. She has numerous members of her family who served, so the project is  personal.

“My aunt, Roberta Gallion, was married to Marvin Talley, one of the 41 we are honoring,” Guinn explained. “It was a high school romance, and they were married for only a short time before he was sent overseas and killed [in] WWII. Another aunt, Elizabeth Gallion, was a Wave [Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service]. My son, Kevin, served in the Army for almost ten years; my ex-husband also served in the Navy on an aircraft carrier.

“My ‘now’ husband served 30 years in the Army and was in Vietnam,” she continued. “He was a helicopter gunner in Nam at age 18 and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery and service during many combat missions. We were not married during this time, so I don’t have the scars of worry, but he carries the scars of war and combat. Both of his sons were also in the Navy. Several of my uncles on my mother’s side were also in WWII and all came home.”

Like many others, Guinn is passionate about honoring those who served. “I love my country, and I wanted to honor these brave men and women for sacrificing their life for me,” she said. “I don’t believe our service men and women are given the honor and respect they deserve, and when Travis and I started talking about this, I knew this was what I wanted to help with, and I am so proud of what we have done to honor these heroes.

“I have done most all of the research on these heroes, and I have cried and am humbled when I read how these young men died,” Guinn continued. “The vivid descriptions of their wounds have humbled me. As a mother, I cannot imagine how these mothers felt with the news of their sons’ deaths. I pray they never knew the extent of their wounds.”

Guinn has been involved with the research, fundraising, and banner designs for the Hometown Heroes Fallen Soldiers Project. Over the years she has also made several Quilts of Valor to honor veterans, including her husband Bill.

Nelson quickly became involved with fundraising. “When Travis approached me about the project, how could I refuse?” he recalled. “I remembered some of the Louisa GIs who lost their lives in Vietnam, and I had been in an area where (during the Tet Offensive of 1968) we had multiple deaths and casualties. I told Travis I’d try and help [where] I could, getting some pledges/donations to help with the costs.”

Woodward explained that Daniel talked about the project after a University of Virginia game. He said that Daniel needed help raising money for the banners. “How could I not?” Woodward emphasized.

Daniel said of his friend, “He has a good heart and jumped on board.”

Other classmates are also helping, including spouses such as Daniel’s wife of 56 years, Linda, or “Winnie” as she is better known.

Incredibly, the fundraising goal was reached by June, and the additional donations will allow the group to replace the initial banners if more information such as a veteran’s picture is located. Of course, each flag will include the image of the Purple Heart that features the profile of George Washington. As commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, Washington established the original Purple Heart, first known as the Badge of Military Merit. Although its design and eligibility requirements have changed numerous times since then, the award is still primarily based on wounds received as a result of enemy combat.

Daniel contacted the town of Louisa and received permission from the Louisa Town Council to display banners on lampposts during the weeks of Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

Louisa County Hometown Heroes volunteers displayed the banners for the first time on July 7 during the Mineral Independence Celebration Parade, which is sponsored by the local VFW. Its marching unit won first place.

The newly-finished banners were carried by veterans and relatives or friends. The parade route down Main Street was filled with people cheering and waving their support. A video courtesy of Travis Daniel is available to watch on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=gm517f4vrdY.

Woodward noted that he expects once the banners are up, more photographs of those killed in various wars will be discovered and receive recognition on the banners.

As Guinn put it, “Being a part of this project means so much to me,” she said. “We are giving the families of these heroes the honor, respect, and love from us and our country.”

For information or to donate to the Louisa County Hometown Heroes Fallen Soldiers Project, visit www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/MTgxMzY5.