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CNN Live Today

Three Names Added to Vietnam Memorial in Washington

Aired May 27, 2002 - 10:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: For memorials from those near the beaches of the D-Day invasion to those here in Washington, former Senate Leader Bob Dole will deliver the keynote address at the annual observance at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

CNN's Jonathan Aiken is there with a preview -- Jonathan.

JONATHAN AIKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kris. People have been coming here all morning since sunup to the Vietnam Memorial here on the Mall. The Washington Monument directly in front of me, the Lincoln Memorial behind me. This has been an opportunity for people to stop, look for names, to pause and remember the war dead, on this Memorial Day, a day of public remembrances and, indeed, private memories.

They have been coming since morning to the memorial with its 58,229 names inscribed on its black granite walls. It's become a focal point for tourists as they come to Washington, not only to pause and remember the nation's war dead, but also to look up someone in particular. There are books at either end of the Mall and the walkways that lead to it here at the Memorial, where people can look up a particular loved one, a friend, a relative, a neighbor, and observe where they were from, when they were born, when they died, where they died, and what outfit or battalion they may have been in when they gave their ultimate sacrifice for their country.

And one of the reasons why this is a focal point here today is because there are some more names being added to the wall. Three names, in fact, were engraved in the black granite earlier this week by workmen. These are individuals from Louisiana, New Jersey and Ohio. In particular, a U.S. Army private, First Class William Johnson, Sr., he's from Cleveland, Ohio, born in 1948. He died February 17, 1969. There's another name, U.S. Army Sgt. Richard Toney from Bogalusa, Louisiana, born in 1946, he died in February of 1968. And a third name, also a U.S. Army private, Paul Zylko of Passaic, New Jersey, born in 1947 and he died in 1968.

And, Kris, the names of these three men who were inscribed this week will be remembered along with the 58,000 others who are on this wall and had been for some time. A raft of speakers coming up today, lead by the former Senate majority leader, presidential candidate, Kansas senator, and noted war veteran Bob Dole. So, all of that coming on a very busy day here at the war memorial here on the Mall -- Kris. OSBORN: Thank you very much. Jonathan Aiken live at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. We appreciate that report, obviously a whole lot of emotion there.

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