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Memorial Day Chicago Style

By VVAW

In a driving rain storm with 50 degree temperatures and 20 mph winds, VVAW-Chicago held its most successful Memorial Day program since the Chicago Chapter initiated the activity in 1971.

Coinciding with a city sponsored event, the program brought out the political richness that is the best and the worst of down-and-dirty Chicago politics.

VVAW has a consistent history of timely, interesting Memorial Day programs speaking to the issues affecting not just Vietnam veterans but a wider audience. Combined with an active life in the many communities that are Chicago and a high profile in the Vietnam veteran's population, the Memorial Day programs have survived the worst possible weather, police harassment, indifferent press, and less-than-friendly city administrations.

With Chicago Mayor Harold Washington in Washington, DC lobbying for more federal funds for Chicago, attacks in the press began on his Administration for lack of veterans programs, but more specifically for not having a parade "like New York City." A cluster of muckrakers with the Chicago Tribune tried, through their daily gossip column to launch an attack on the Mayer. Spokesmen from the VVAW National Office pointed out that the New York parade, like the Washington DC Vietnam Veterans Memorial, were projects put on by Vietnam vets for Vietnam vets with planning and funding coming from private sources.

Unfettered by facts, the Tribune writers, joined by a Chicago Sun-Times columnist stepped up their efforts to show a division in the 'Nam vets across the city. With the announcement that Mayor Washington would speak at VVAW's annual Memorial Day program and then invite all Vietnam vets and their families to a picnic afterwards, the fuse was lit.

According the Sun-Times, VVAW, "a group more often surrounded by police than by dignitaries" was being elevated to a level slightly better than pond scum. Officials of the VFW and American Legion were hounded to make statements about their distaste for VVAW and our Memorial Day activities; they declined, at least in public.

Attempts by foes of Washington in the Chicago city council to steal the limelight and glory faltered, mostly from lack of experience with Vietnam vets and ties only to the more traditional veterans groups. Chicago Park Czar Kelly refused to allow the Mayor to dedicate a flower garden to 'Nam vets and instead dedicated it in a nearly secret ceremony to someone, presumably veterans.

The last run at the Mayor's office by opposition forces came in the form of jobs. Accused of fostering unemployment by pulling the plug on the "Mayor's Office of Veterans' Employment" by Republican Party officials and spokespersons for Chicago members of Vietnam Veterans of America, Washington was being accused of something that happened well before he took office.

Memorial Day 1985 was to be as bad a day weatherwise as any previous. Over 100 people, mostly Vietnam vets, stood in driving rain at Heald Square's Vietnam Veterans Fountain to hear a short program of speakers including 3 national officers of VVAW, poets, and Mayor Washington.

"Before I begin my prepared speech, I want to make a few things clear to those attacking this event," stated May Washington. He continued: "I am against war, for peace, for a nuclear freeze and anybody who doesn't like it can go to hell."

Pete Zastrow of VVAW's National Office took it further by stating, "We've got our parades and we got our monuments now, but anyone here would trade a monument for a good jobs program."

Mayor Washington announced the formation of a Vietnam vets task force to plan a "fitting" Memorial for Vietnam vets and a liaison from his office to Vietnam vets groups.

The ceremony closed with all present laying flowers at the base of the memorial fountain.

A city-sponsored indoor picnic followed, attended by 500 people, primarily Vietnam vets and their families. The entertainment of jazz, rock and blues performers were all Vietnam vets. The food was delicious, the mood informal and relaxed as the Mayor moved through the crowd talking to any vet who cared to, smiling but seriously listening to the vets who spoke with him, pausing for pictures with vets and their families.

The invitation to Harold Washington to speak at the VVAW Memorial Day program brought more attacks on VVAW than one can recall in recent years, but resulted in strengthening the Chicago Chapter. The response by the membership, old and new, has put the work of VVAW far ahead of what anyone anticipated.

Linking Mayor Washington to VVAW, the press, rather than soiling his image, made his Administration look good. Beyond VVAW's presence in communities throughout the city, the Black community considers any attack on Washington as an attack on the Black community.

VVAW in Chicago deeply appreciates Mayor Washington's participation in our Memorial Day program, helping to bring alive the theme of the day; "Honor the dead—Fight like Hell for the living!"