Volunteer at ‘The Wall That Heals’ inspired to apply to have his father added to In Memory program
by Jim Boyle
Editor
More than 650 Vietnam veterans, including 22 from Minnesota, will be inducted into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s (VVMF) In Memory program in 2024.
Harold Morphew, who was born on Nov. 13, 1942, before his death in 2020 rarely talked of his Army service in Vietnam. But he was proud of his service as a soldier despite suffering mightily over the years from exposure to Agent Orange while in Vietnam.
The memorial fund for Vietnam veterans believes all those who served in the Vietnam War should be honored and remembered for their service. Morphew’s three sons couldn’t agree more.
The In Memory program enables the families and friends of those who came home and later died the opportunity to have them be forever memorialized.
The Morphews, led by son Jon, of Monticello, took the necessary steps this past year.
In Memory ceremony set for June 15
On June 15, the organization will host the 2024 In Memory ceremony on the East Knoll of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, where each 2024 honoree’s name will be read aloud. This year, 656 veterans will be honored during the ceremony.
“For many Vietnam veterans, coming home from Vietnam was just the beginning of a whole new fight,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF. “Many never fully recovered, either physically or emotionally, from their experiences. As these veterans pass, it is our duty and solemn promise to welcome them home to the place that our nation has set aside to remember our Vietnam veterans.”
The plaque that honors these veterans was dedicated as a part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site in 2004. It reads: “In Memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and later died as a result of their service. We honor and remember their sacrifice.”
Jon Morphew learned of the program while volunteering with his wife last summer at the traveling Vietnam War Memorial in Monticello. The exhibit — “The Wall That Heals” — was in its 28th year and includes a three-quarter-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial along with a mobile Education Center. The wall bears the names of the 58,281 American men and women who died during the Vietnam War. The traveling memorial was in Monticello from Thursday, July 20, to Sunday, July 23, 2023.
“It was pretty powerful,” Jon Morphew recalled. “I was super happy that the city of Monticello worked really hard to get it there. I’ve been to both the one in D.C., and the traveling wall that came here last summer. Frankly, I was surprised at how many people actually came.”
Morphew born in Sundown Township
Harold Morphew was born in Sundown Township, Minnesota, but spent most of his younger days growing up in Fridley and graduated from high school in Anoka. He was married for more than 50 years to his wife, Jackie Morphew. He had three children, Jon (wife Gayle), Jay (wife Kari) and Jim (wife Amy) Morphew and five grandchildren.
He lived in Elk River and Otsego from 1989 until 2020, when he died. He loved fishing and all Minnesota sports teams, especially the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings.
His service in Vietnam will soon be recognized in a way that it never has.
“It’s a pretty big deal, for us, just because my dad did suffer pretty badly,” Jon Morphew said. “He had Agent Orange exposure when he was in Vietnam.
“He had virtually every health malady that could be traced back to being exposed to Agent Orange throughout his life. It was really important to us to have his service recognized because he never talked about it.”
Jon said his father would be proud, but wouldn’t have sought out the recognition for himself.
“He’s a pretty humble guy,” Jon Morphew said. “I don’t think he would care if he got the recognition, but he’d have been happy for other people getting recognized.”
Morphew suffered through a myriad of health problems. At various points he had leukemia, skin cancer, heart problems, and kidney problems.
“Basically everything,” his son Jon said.
The Army veteran fought for years for full veterans benefits. He completed an arduous task of documenting his case to get an Army review board to approve them. He finally got them, and he was very pleased with his health care once he did.
“I think a lot of guys just gave up because it was so overwhelming,” Jon Morphew said.
VVMF has created a personal remembrance page for each honoree online in the In Memory Honor Roll at https://www.vvmf.org/Honor-Roll/
Their photos will also be displayed around the country when VVMF’s mobile exhibit, The Wall That Heals, is on display in an honoree’s home state. To view the 2024 tour schedule for The Wall That Heals, visit https://www.vvmf.org/The-Wall-That-Heals/.
Ceremony to be shown live
The 2024 In Memory ceremony will be shown live on VVMF’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/VietnamVeteransMemorialFund) and on VVMF’s website (www.vvmf.org/live) beginning at 10 a.m. ET on June 15, 2024. The recorded video of the In Memory ceremony will be made available shortly after the conclusion of the ceremony. The In Memory program was created in 1993 and, after this year’s ceremony, will have honored more than 6,800 veterans. For more information on the In Memory program or to apply to have your loved one honored in 2025, visit www.vvmf.org/inmemory.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is the nonprofit organization that founded the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) in Washington, D.C., in 1982. VVMF continues to lead the way in paying tribute to our nation’s Vietnam veterans and their families. VVMF’s mission is to honor and preserve the legacy of service in America and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War and era. To learn more about VVMF, visit www.vvmf.org or call 202-393-0090.
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