Back Channels: To protect a sacred memorial, Vietnam vets pull guard duty

Philadelphia didn't just erect a memorial to those who served and died in the Vietnam War. It created a sanctuary, a space apart. Enter this sacred ground at Front and Spruce, and your focus is drawn to the walls with the names of the dead, the scenes of the conflict, etched in stone. The city, with all its noise and ruckus, seems far away.

And therein lies the problem.

The same walls that enclose a quiet space for reflection also keep the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial hidden in plain sight. You could walk by on Spruce and never know it was there. Or use the space within for some less-than-honorable purpose, safe from the prying eyes of police or passersby.

That's exactly what happens, every year, just as soon as the weather turns nice. Through the magic of social media or word-of-mouth advertising, the memorial becomes a mecca for those who travel by skateboard, inline skates, or scooters. As a result, sometimes intentionally and sometimes not, damage is done.

In fact, the memorial fund that oversees the site, in cooperation with the Fairmount Park Commission, recently spent a half-million dollars to spruce up the area. They replaced bricks, refurbished walls, added flagpoles. Some of this work was for improvements; too much was repair work brought on by misuse.

Included in the project were the additions of L-shaped metal guards to fit over ledges, and hockey-puck- size bronze stars, all meant to keep skateboarders off the surfaces. Some took the changes personally. Recent footage from cameras that monitor the site 24 hours a day show skateboards being used to pry up the guards, according to Philadelphia Police Capt. Brian Korn. He's commanding officer of the Sixth District, which includes the memorial site. In addition, three Bucks County youths will be in court this week, charged with institutional vandalism in connection with damage at the memorial.

The design of the memorial "attracts them," Korn said. "The people at the memorial went to great lengths to make it unattractive, but for the skateboarding community, this is the place you go."

Korn and his officers have increased patrols in the area, and vets have started their own. Terry A. Williamson, a Marine veteran of Vietnam and president of the memorial fund, recently asked vets to essentially volunteer for guard duty.

Individually, in pairs, or in larger groups, they now patrol the grounds in two-hour shifts in the afternoon and evenings. The mission is not to confront, but, if necessary, remind wayward visitors of the rules. No skateboarding. No scooters. No bicycles. If forced to call the police, they will.

The foot patrols are working, Williamson says. "This sends a message about how seriously veterans view the activities down there."

Joe Eastman, a Navy retiree from Westmont, says it was a no-brainer to volunteer.

"This is a special place, and if there's any attempt to desecrate it or demean what it represents or the people it represents, any vet is happy to get out and help," Eastman said.

He has done three Tuesday-night shifts so far, 8 to 10. The first two nights were quiet, but the shift he shared last week with three other vets was a little busier. A passing police officer told two kids - with parents in tow - not to bring their scooters onto the site. The vets asked a young boy on a bike not to ride there, and he responded politely. Two skateboarders were not so polite, Eastman says, raising one-finger salutes as they departed.

Part of the problem is perspective. Some of the vets on patrol grew up with those whose names now adorn the wall. For them, this is personal. For a 20-year-old on a skateboard, it's a cool, challenging place to ride. The war and its warriors may as well be ancient history.

"Parents should be talking to their kids," says Capt. Korn. "This place should be off-limits. It's a memorial. Causing damage here is no different than going in a cemetery and desecrating graves there."

Eastman sees the indifference as one more insult to Vietnam veterans. "These guys can't get the respect they've earned and deserve," he said.

Both to raise awareness and keep the memorial safe, Williamson's group is hoping to raise another half-million to open up the Spruce Street side of the site.

"Then police and the public will be able to see inside the memorial," Williamson said.

The trick will be securing the memorial, while retaining the "very quiet and peaceful place" that Eastman and his fellow vets experienced last week, as they reflected on the names on the walls.

"We talked about [them], what they would be doing right now," he said.

With fund-raising being such a challenge, any changes are in the future. For now, you can help keep the memorial safe by monitoring the live cameras at www.pvvm.org and reporting any problems to Philadelphia police. Or by attending fund-raisers mentioned on the Web site, including one May 20. In the meantime, the vets will remain on patrol.

As Eastman said: "We always seem to have one more mission."