BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The names of Western New Yorkers who died fighting in the Vietnam War are fading on the memorial at the Erie County Naval and Military Park, so a group of volunteers is working on restoring them.
The memorial was dedicated more than 40 years ago. But years of Buffalo's harsh weather have worn away the paint, making the names increasingly difficult to read.
"You know the Buffalo weather. It's taken off the paint," Dan Frontera said.
Frontera, an Iraq War veteran, was at the memorial last Memorial Day with other members of the Iraq Afghanistan Memorial Committee when they noticed the names fading. That visit sparked a commitment to repaint the names.
"It was a quote that says: 'The hero never truly dies until his name is spoken for the last time.' And we can't allow that to happen. We can't allow them to be forgotten," Frontera said.
Last month, volunteers spent a day painting the memorial, filling cracks before applying paint by hand.
WATCH: 'We can't allow them to be forgotten': Public repainting names on WNY Vietnam Memorial
Volunteers will return this Sunday from 7 a.m. to noon, and the Iraq Afghanistan Memorial Committee is welcoming the public to join.
"It's not just a name. It's not just, it's somebody who, you've got to remember, you've got to be there for," Frontera said.
Visitors to the Naval Park on Friday said the restoration effort was a fitting tribute.
"It's really important to remember these things so you know we treat our future veterans better. That we remember, care about their healthcare, their mental healthcare. There's many issues that go along with PTSD and war," said Donnie Dimmick, whose father served in the Vietnam War.
"A memorial like that should be kept up to date and clean so that people see it and they can understand what happened and read the names," said Joe Powers, whose brother is a Vietnam veteran.
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