The design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located at the foot of the Fort Myers side of Veterans Memorial Bridge, is missing an element needed for its completion – letters written by Vietnam veterans.

The idea for the monument at the current site near the bridge, also known as the Midpoint Bridge, was developed by the Lee County Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 594. As a Vietnam veteran himself, Craig Tonjes has been spearheading the effort for a monument to be constructed which pays tribute to those in Southwest Florida whose lives were lost in this 1960s era war.

Owen-Ames-Kimball Company is coordinating construction of the memorial, which is rapidly taking shape.

The brick and concrete path leading to the memorial, as well as three vertical concrete walls, are in place. The concrete walls await granite panels engraved with the names of local veterans whose lives were lost serving their country in the Vietnam War. The granite panels will be secured to the front side of the concrete walls. The site is also waiting for a bronze field cross consisting of boots, a rifle and helmet to arrive.

As the design elements are constructed for the front of the monument, the design for the rear of the monument is being discussed by Tonjes and the memorial committee, which includes Lucas Century. Century is the local artist who developed a photo grit-blasting method for inscribing veteran’s names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Century is applying the same method of inscribing names to this memorial.

Tonjes is asking anyone who has letters from a Vietnam veteran and who would like to share them with this committee with the possibly of all or part of a letter being used in the design of the monument to please contact him at (239) 482-6903.

Copies of the letters can be sent to Craig Tonjes c/o Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 594, P. O. Box 9325, Fort Myers, FL 33902.

Anyone wishing to make a tax deductible donation to help cover the cost of completing and sustaining the memorial can do so by making checks out to Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 594 Memorial Fund and mailing checks to the above address as well.