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Memorial Day 2007 in Columbus, Ohio

By Mark Hartford

The Saturday before Memorial Day 5/26/07 found veterans, active duty soldiers, wives of soldiers and mothers of soldiers declaring their support for the Active Duty Call for Redress of Grievance. The event began with a march from the Veterans Memorial at the statehouse to the Federal Building in downtown Columbus. It was attended by about 75 people plus all the major media in Columbus, Ohio.

It was the first item reported on all three major news programs that evening. Mark Hartford, VVAW contact for Columbus, was featured by two of the three TV stations covering the event.

The vets and active duty soldiers were called to attention and marched to the steps of the state capitol building by an active duty soldier back recently from Iraq.

Standing just yards away from the Ohio Veterans Memorial the group read the call from soldiers for their removal from Iraq.

The mother of an Iraq veteran read Eisenhower's comments pointing out the loss of resources for addressing hunger, education and other important social needs that come with war spending.

The event ended with a call by an active duty soldier's wife to bring all the troops home now. The group included veterans from WW II, Korean War, Vietnam, '91 War, Kosovo and the current American War in Iraq.

VVAW Ohio Contact Mark Hartford is interviewed by the local Media

An active duty soldier's wife calls for bringing all the troops home now