Veterans for Peace remember fallen soldiers

Sunday was Veterans Day, the day America traditionally sets aside to honor its soldiers who have fought in the country's many wars.

The local chapter of Veterans for Peace commemorated the occasion as they have for the last five years, by reading the names of all the soldiers who have been killed thus far in the Iraq war.

Members and supporters, undaunted by the occasional rain showers and cold blustery winds, stood at Evansville's Four Freedoms Monument and read all 3,860 names.

The group's president is Gary May, associate professor of social work at USI.

May is a Vietnam veteran who lost his legs when he stepped on a land mine in April of 1968.

He has been involved in veteran's affairs since 1974 when he went to work in the Veteran's Administration.

Among other accomplishments, he was instrumental in the fight to get the VAto recognize the effects of Agent Orange upon Vietnam veterans as a war disability.

Nationally, the VFP organization is involved in fighting to make sure veterans get the care they need.

The local chapter of Veterans for Peace dates to 2000.

Their statement of purpose includes, "to seek justice for veter- ans and victims of war " and "to abolish war as an instrument of national policy".

When asked how he would respond to those who say that those who oppose the war are hurting the troops, May responded, "the Quintessential way to support the troops is to bring them home. To the extent that ending the war hastens their return, we are absolutely supporting the troops."

The reading of the names took just under 3 hours.

The list did not include the names of U.S. personnel killed in Afghanistan.

Over 760 coalition forces have been killed to date in Afghanistan.

After the ceremony, the group walked the four blocks to the federal building where May read a statement condemning the war in Iraq and then handed over copies of the list to representatives of Congressman Ellsworth and Indiana Senators Bayh and Lugar.