May 26th 2024.
On a peaceful Sunday afternoon, around 200 individuals gathered in the cozy basement of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in the South Chicago neighborhood. The atmosphere was somber yet filled with a sense of community as they came together to pay tribute to 12 members of their community who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.
The program began with a heartfelt prayer from Rev. Steve Niskanen, who reminded everyone that Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country. He praised the soldiers for their bravery and selflessness in defending the freedoms that we all enjoy.
After the prayer, the ceremony continued with a visit to South Chicago's Vietnam Memorial, located just across the street from the church. The families of the fallen soldiers laid wreaths as a symbol of their love and remembrance. This gathering was particularly significant as there are ongoing efforts to raise funds for refurbishing the mural at the memorial site.
Two local organizations, Southeast Side Vietnam Veterans and South Deering American Legion Post 1238, along with Ald. Peter Chico, 10th, have joined forces to secure $100,000 for repainting the mural. They also plan to restore the 12 portraits of the fallen soldiers at the top of the mural. Fred Carrizales, a Vietnam War veteran and a member of the renovation team, expressed how important it is to preserve the community's history and honor those who bravely served their country.
Carrizales shared that the South Chicago community takes great pride in their service and has a tradition of honoring their veterans. This tradition was passed down to him by his father and grandfather, who also raised funds for similar causes. He emphasized that the fallen soldiers were not just names on a wall but individuals who were a part of the community. They walked the streets, played baseball, went to school and church, and graduated alongside their peers. The community has come together once again to honor them, just as they promised they would.
According to the Chicago History Museum, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church is believed to have suffered the largest loss of life of any church in the United States during the Vietnam War. To keep the memories alive, the neighborhood holds two events every year – one for Memorial Day and the other for Veteran's Day. Ald. Chico, who has been actively involved in the renovation project for a year, shared that this history has made it a priority for him to restore the mural. He has been working with a task force in the community, and their efforts have been fruitful.
On May 26, 2024, a group of veterans lined up in South Chicago to attend the Memorial Day ceremony and honor their fallen comrades. However, due to unexpected rain, part of the event had to be moved indoors to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Despite the change in plans, the community remained united in their determination to pay homage to those who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.
During the ceremony, Chico and his partners announced that Home Depot has pledged to provide $25,000 worth of supplies for the mural's renovation. The team is still raising funds to pay the artists, and they plan to set up a GoFundMe page later in the week. Monica Rodriguez, who has lived in South Chicago her whole life, shared that she always attends these memorial events. At 63 years old, she still lives in the same house she grew up in, just a block away from the church.
Rodriguez expressed her gratitude for the community's efforts to remember the veterans. Her brother lost his arm in the Vietnam War, and as she grows older, she fears that his story, along with others, will be forgotten. However, the push for a renovation has given her hope that this will not be the case. She believes that as long as their names are on that wall, the bond and memories of that generation will be kept alive by their children and grandchildren.
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