Red oaks at City Park memorialize 2 Vietnam War vets

Posted 10/16/14

Saturday’s rain failed to deter a ceremony at City Park to recognize the planting of two North American red oaks in memory of two Warwick residents, both former members of the U.S. Coast Guard who …

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Red oaks at City Park memorialize 2 Vietnam War vets

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Saturday’s rain failed to deter a ceremony at City Park to recognize the planting of two North American red oaks in memory of two Warwick residents, both former members of the U.S. Coast Guard who served in Vietnam. Requests for the memorial trees were made independently to the Rhode Island Tree Council within days of each other and, as Steven Pilz of the council board remarked at the ceremony, the parallels between the two men are strikingly similar. They served in the same branch of service, in the same war, lived in Warwick, died within days of each other and had approximately the same numbers of surviving family members.

Mayor Scott Avedisian, who had come from the Hmong New Year celebration at the Mickey Stevens Sports Complex, said the Hmong were not put off by Saturday’s rain as they look at it as a “cleansing” start to a new year. He spoke of the trees as a fresh beginning to the men they memorialize.

Omni Printing donated one of the trees for Richard “Rick” Trahan, who worked for the company. Trahan was a highly decorated war veteran who received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Star, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and a Combat Action Ribbon. He volunteered to transport a medical team to a local village, piloting a small boat to the shore of Song Ong Doc village during a cholera outbreak. He was a graphic arts professional and a founder of Blazing Graphics in Cranston. He was 65 when he passed away on August 21, 2014.

The second oak was planted in memory of Allyn Bosworth, who was employed by the State of Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training for 32 years. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard during the Vietnam War. His active duty was followed by service in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He was 74 years old when he passed away on August 16, 2014. The tree was a gift from Karen Chang, Melanie Fazzio, Helene Mastin, Amy Van Mullen, and Theresa Zighera. College friends of Jennifer Madden, Allyn Bosworth’s daughter.

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