Of the more than 58,000 names listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., six men came from Jefferson County, one of whom the American Legion post in Port Townsend memorialized by naming themselves after him.

U.S. Navy Seabee Construction Mechanic 3rd Class Marvin Glen Shields was killed in action on June 10, 1966. He was the first sailor to receive the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War, and he remains the only Seabee awarded the Medal of Honor.

The local ties of Shields and his five fellow fallen Vietnam veterans from Jefferson County are set to become more immediate this fall, when “The Wall That Heals,” a traveling three-quarters scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will be temporarily installed at the Jefferson County International Airport from Sept. 11-14.

Erik Poulsen, a member of the American Legion’s Marvin G. Shields Memorial Post 26 in Port Townsend, noted that Shields was the first Port Townsend High School graduate killed in action in Vietnam. This year marks the 60th anniversary of his death, as well as the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.

Poulsen, an Army vet who served in Vietnam from January 1970 to February 1971 in a support role, became more familiar with all six of Jefferson County’s names on “The Wall” when he delivered a speech about them for Memorial Day last year.

After being twice-wounded, Shields still assisted in carrying a more critically wounded man to safety, and volunteered for an extremely hazardous mission, to silence an enemy machine gun, which was successful but left him mortally wounded.

Shields is one of only 160 Medal of Honor recipients listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Others lost

Shields’ death was followed by that of Marine Lance Cpl. John Everett Paddock, a radio telegraph operator who was traveling with three other Marines in lightly armored jeep when they hit a mine, and were mortally wounded, on Sept. 11, 1966.

A week later, Navy Corpsman 3rd Class Timothy James McMahon was killed in action, while serving with the First Marine Division, on Sept. 18, 1966.

Marine Pfc. Stephen Ray Lopeman, a classmate of Poulson’s, was killed in action on May 11, 1969, just ten days after his 19th birthday, while on a search-and-clear mission.

Army Master Sgt. Monte Raoul de Vere of Nordland was a career Military Policeman who served in World War II and Korea before being killed in action in Vietnam on Jan. 10, 1970, and he was awarded the Silver Star, for conspicuous gallantry and bravery in action, and the Bronze Star for Valor, with a Combat Distinguishing Device and Oak Leaf Clusters.

Another classmate of Poulson’s, Marine Cpl. William Thomas Smith, was the last man from Jefferson County to be killed in action in Vietnam, while in a night defensive position on April 3, 1970.

“Bill was also a friend,” said Poulson, who noted that every Jefferson County casualty in Vietnam, except for de Vere, had graduated from Port Townsend High School. “Before I gave that speech last year, I’d only really known about three of the county’s six names on the Wall. We should know those names, and their stories.”

Poulson hopes the rest of Jefferson County will be able to familiarize themselves with those names through “The Wall That Heals” this fall, whose local visit falls on another significant date in American history, 24 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

One of just 30

Poulson pointed out how rare a distinction it is for the Port Townsend community to be included in the touring schedule for “The Wall That Heals,” which is only slated to be installed at barely more than 30 towns and cities, with Spokane and Ellenburg serving as the moving memorial’s only other two stops in Washington state.

“It probably helped us get selected that we’re a region with a very strong military heritage, between Bremerton and Fort Worden,” Poulson said. “Of course, it also helped that we’re the home of Marvin Shields, along with four other PTHS graduates on the Wall.”

American Legion Post 26 had hoped to have “The Wall That Heals” installed at Fort Worden State Park, but as a state park, it closes at dusk, whereas “The Wall That Heals” is required to be accessible to the public 24 hours a day when it’s not in motion.

To that end, the Legion is putting out the call for volunteers to help present “The Wall That Heals” to the public this fall, starting with its arrival on Sept. 9 and its assembly on Sept. 10.

“We’ve been told to expect at least 5,000 visitors, so we’re probably going to need a couple of hundred volunteers, to do everything from driving golf carts of visitors across the airport’s taxiways to keeping us stocked with hundreds of No. 2 pencils,” said Poulson, referring to the number of visitors who make pencil-and-paper rubbings of the names. Those interested in volunteering are asked to contact volunteer coordinator Kathi Jarboe at ktoot40@gmail.com.

Poulson reflexively downplays his own service as a draftee in Vietnam, insisting he simply “drove a big truck” and “brought ammo to guys who used it.” He acknowledged the emotional toll of losing two of his high school classmates to the war.

“Some days, it’s been hard, but this is cathartic,” Poulson said. “It helps me not pretend it didn’t happen. I’m still in shock from Bill getting killed. Remembrance is the highest form of honor we can pay to those we’ve lost.”