21st June, 1996/1934 hrs.
TO: Distribution List: ALPHA-6 

SUBJ: Memo for Record
REF: Gross Desecration
FILEREF: LTCL0621.-96

XREF: WALL0622.C96

Report of Activities at Display of The Moving Wall

REF: Golden, Colorado  

Thanking you for your attention, I remain

  

Sincerely,

VCV, Ltd.; VET-NET
Michael J. Davis; SS, DFC, PH
Director; CWO-2, U.S. Army (Retired)

Attachment: as stated:

BACKGROUND:

An original copy of a speech, from which the following transcription is taken, was given to me by LTC Rich(ard?) Little, at approximately 1235 hrs., 21st June, 1996, during a brief conversation between him and me, immediately following the Opening Ceremonies at The Moving Wall in Golden Colorado.

CONVERSATION TRANSCRIPT:

---------------------------------------------------====BEGIN CONVERSATION===-----------------------------------------

mjd: Colonel, I was emotionally moved by your speech. [NOTE: I did not specify which emotion(s).]

rl: Well, thank you.

mjd: I overheard your offer of a copy of it. I wonder if that offer still stands?

rl: Sure...[As he begins to open the file folder which contained the copy he had spoken from]...Actually...[Reaching into the left/inside pocket of his Greens blouse]...Here’s a fresh, unmarked copy you can have.

mjd: [Accepting the copy] Thank you sir. I’m sure I’ll find it of interest to be able to review some of your comments, in detail.

rl: Well, good.

mjd: [Placing speech copy in right/rear pants pocket] I did find your comments to be concise and succinct...Did you write this yourself?

rl: Mostly...I did get a little help.

mjd: [Jokingly] Have to clear it with `Higher Headquarters’, did you?

rl: Well, no. But, I did get it reviewed - and got some help from - Corporate Public Relations. [NOTE: I am not absolutely sure of the accuracy of the `Public Relations’ portion of this quote. The title of the actual corporate department may have been some other, `politically correct’, title meaning the same thing.]

mjd: By `Corporate’...Do you mean `Coors Corporate’, Sir?

rl: Yes.

mjd: So, you’re a Coors employee then?

rl: Yes. I’m the [NOTE: I don’t profess to recall the exact title he quoted to me - it was quite long and seemed to equate to his being the senior man in charge of selling beer to the military. His `Bio’, which was given, by him, to the Master of Ceremonies for use in his introduction, states that he is "National Sales Manager for Military Retail Trade Development".] at the brewery. It’s rather ironic, I’m in the military and I’m selling product to the military.

mjd: That’s interesting. Well Sir...[Offering my hand]...Thank you for your time.

rl: [Shaking my hand] Thank you.

---------------------------------------------------====END OF CONVERSATION===-----------------------------------------

I certify that the following is a true and accurate transcription of the original speech copy which was given by LTC Rich(ard?) Little and handed to me by him at the Opening Ceremonies of The Moving Wall in Golden, Colorado.

[NOTE: The copy was printed in all capitals, ‘Landscape’ format, centered, on 8-1/2 X 11 inch, 16 to 20 lb., xerographic-type paper.]

---------------------------------------------------====BEGIN TRANSCRIPTION===-----------------------------------------

GOOD AFTERNOON
ON BEHALF OF COORS BREWING COMPANY IT IS BOTH AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE
TO BE HERE. COORS IS DELIGHTED TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE VIETNAM VETS
MOTORCYCLE CLUB, VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 4171, AMERICAN LEGION
POST 21, THE DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION AND OUR OWN COORS
VETERANS GROUP TO SPONSOR THE GOLDEN STOP OF THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL
MOVING WALL. COORS IS ALSO PLEASED TO BE A PART OF THIS GOLDEN
COMMUNITY EFFORT PROVIDING OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO TOUCH THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE WHEN
CALLED UPON BY OUR NATION.

[BEGIN PG. 2]

COORS BEGAN ITS SUPPORT OF VETERANS DECADES AGO. ONE OF OUR FIRST
OUTREACH EFFORTS AFTER THE VIETNAM CONFLICT WAS A CONTRIBUTION TO THE
NATIONAL VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL FUND. ON THE LOCAL SCENE, JUST
FOUR YEARS AGO, COORS BREWING COMPANY DEDICATED "THE DEFENDERS OF
FREEDOM" MEMORIAL. THIS IS THE ONLY PERMANENT MEMORIAL TO THE MEN
AND WOMEN OF THE ARMED SERVICES IN A CORPORATE SETTING. AND OUR
COMMITMENT CONTINUES THROUGH COORS VERY OWN VETERANS GROUP. THAT
COMMITMENT TO VETERANS CAN BE SEEN THROUGH OUR EMPLOYMENT EFFORTS.
CURRENTLY ONE IN FOUR OF OUR EMPLOYEES IS A VETERAN. AND MANY OF
THESE VETERANS, LIKE MYSELF, CONTINUE TO SERVE AS MEMBERS OF THE
RESERVES AND NATIONAL GUARD, READY AT ANY MOMENT TO ACCEPT THE CALL
TO DEFEND OUR NATION.

[BEGIN PG. 3]

THE UNITED STATES IS THE GREATEST NATION IN THE WORLD. IT BECAME THAT
WAY BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN FREEDOM AND HAVE BEEN WILLING TO PROTECT
THAT FREEDOM. AN EFFORT THAT HAS OFTEN BEEN NO SMALL FEAT AND HAS
ALWAYS REQUIRED GREAT INDIVIDUAL SACRIFICE BY THE MEN AND WOMEN OF
OUR ARMED SERVICES. VIEWING THIS MEMORIAL, AS WE DO NOW PROVIDES US
WITH A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES. FOREMOST IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR
THE 58,196 INDIVIDUALS LISTED ON THE MEMORIAL WALL WHO DIED AS A RESULT
OF SERVICE IN VIETNAM. AND LET US NEVER FORGET THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE
OF THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER MEN AND WOMEN NOT LISTED HERE
WHO SERVED IN VIET NAM AND ELSEWHERE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE
SERVED OUR NATION SO PROUDLY IN OTHER WARS, CONFLICTS AND CAMPAIGNS.

[BEGIN PG. 4]

FURTHERMORE, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR AND RESPECT THOSE WHO ARE
CURRENTLY SERVING IN THE ARMED SERVICES TO PROTECT THE FREEDOM WE
HOLD SO DEARLY BY PRESERVING PEACE BOTH HERE AND ABROAD. WE MUST
NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF WHY OUR NATION IS GREAT, THAT WE MUST, AS A NATION,
ALWAYS REMAIN VIGILANT AND THAT WE, AS INDIVIDUALS, BE WILLING TO
ACCEPT OUR NATION’S CALL TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE OUR FREEDOM.
WE INDEED ALL OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR
ARMED FORCES - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. IF EACH OF YOU, IN YOUR OWN
WAY, WOULD JOIN ME IN SALUTING THOSE WHO HAVE ANSWERED OUR NATION’S
CALL.

THANK YOU.

---------------------------------------------------====END OF TRANSCRIPTION===-----------------------------------------

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