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On March 23, 1968, mortar fire killed Marine Corps Pfc. Michael D. Lawrence in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam. Lawrence was an 18-year-old from Granger.
About two months ago, his sister, Linda Bentley, received a phone call from someone with Faces Never Forgotten. The program wanted a photo of Lawrence.
Bently was happy to provide one.
"I'm proud of my brother," Bently said. "He was only in Vietnam for three months before he was killed."
Faces Never Forgotten aims to find a photograph of every U.S. soldier, sailor or airman killed in the Vietnam War. Three hundred sixty-four Utahns are listed as having been killed in Vietnam.
Faces Never Forgotten needs just 37 photos to complete Utah's portion of the project. Of those, 31 of the dead are from Salt Lake County. The remainder are from Davis, Rich, Tooele, Uintah and Utah counties.
The photos are to be displayed at a proposed Vietnam War Education Center next to the memorial wall in Washington, D.C.
Faces Never Forgotten will accept photos from the decedents' family, friends, high school or anyone else with a connection.
Janna Hoehn is a team leader for Faces Never Forgotten and the volunteer who called Bently. She promotes the project by contacting journalists across the West and does some searching on her own. Ancestry.com has donated a subscription to the project.
Hoehn said when she calls potential family members, she starts by telling them who she is and asks whether the person on the other end of the phone is related to the deceased. If Hoehn finds the right person, she explains about the museum and the search for photographs.
"If I've got the right person then 9 1/2 out of 10 are thrilled," Hoehn said. "In two years, I've had maybe two people that were upset."
Bently remembers her brother marching with other Marine recruits in 1967's Pioneer Day parade through downtown Salt Lake City just before he left for basic training. In December of that year, Lawrence arrived in Vietnam with the 1st Marine Division.
"He'd send us letters from Vietnam, saying when this tour was over he was going to [re-enlist and] go back because of the kids and everything he saw in Vietnam," Bently said.
Two years after her brother died, Bentley watched her husband ship off to war with the U.S. Army.
Her husband returned. Bently is now 64 and lives in Garden City. She said the Vietnam War was hard on her and she wants more done to remember its veterans.
"It's wonderful that people will be able to see our men that were killed in Vietnam," Bently said.
To submit a photo of a Vietnam veteran killed in action, email Hoehn at neverforgotten2014@gmail.com
Twitter: @natecarlisle —
Photos of 37 Utah servicemen sought
Name, year of birth and death, military branch and rank
• Bountiful
Philip J. Krek Jr., 1946-1968, Army sergeant
Randy L. Mathias, 1949-1968, Marine lance corporal
• Garden City
Charles F. Kennedy, 1941-1967, Army sergeant
• Granger
Quenton L. Christensen, 1948-19690, Army specialist 4th class
• Grantsville
John R. Oakey, 1943-1966, Army specialist 5th class
• Lapoint
Leslie E. Walker, 1948-1969, Army specialist 4th class
• Midvale
James A. Tueller, 1949-1968, Marine sergeant
• Murray
Douglas E. Atwood, 1946-1967, Army private 1st class
Marvin C. Killan, 1944-1966, Army private 1st class
• Salt Lake City
Bryant H. Young Jr., 1948-1967, Army corporal
Byron D. Orr, 1943-1966, Marine sergeant
Earl W. Cobbley Jr., 1948-1968, Marine corporal
Edwin E. Wilson, 1946-1967, Marine private 1st class
Emory L. Jorgensen, 1947-1967, Army specialist 4th class
Galen E. Haynie, 1943-1969, Army private 1st class
Glenn W. Foster Jr., 1947-1967, Marine lance corporal
Harry T. Petersen, 1949-1970, Army sergeant
Jack D. Hanson Jr., 1951-1970, Army specialist 4th class
Jack D. Sundquist, 1938-1968, Army major
James P. Rogan, 1939-1968, Army major
Jesus M. Archuleta, 1946-1967, Army private 1st class
Kellynn V. Snow, 1948-1968, Army private 1st class
Kyle C. Holfeltz, 1950-1971, Army specialist 4th class
Logan D. Young, 1947-1966, Army specialist 4th class
Michael Vasquez, 1945-1966, Marine private 1st class
Remi H. Greeff, 1939-1969, Air Force captain
Richard D. Parker, 1945-1966, Army specialist 4th class
Richard M. Prociv, 1934-1966, Army staff sergeant
Robert M. Delgado, 1943-1972, Army sergeant
Ronald Jones, 1948-1968, Army corporal
Steven J. Perry, 1950-1968, Army specialist 4th class
Thomas M. Mays, 1934-1969, Army sergeant 1st class
Victor W. Osness, 1949-1969, Army sergeant
• Sandy
Danny L. Rose, 1948-1968, Army corporal
• Springville
Raymon D. Hales, 1942-1969, Army sergeant
• Vernal
Robert L. Ufford, 1948-1970, Army staff sergeant
• West Jordan
Robert C. Wiechert, 1930-1968, Air Force major —
Veterans Day events in Utah
• Ogden: Weber State University will display military equipment, give samples of MREs (Meal Ready-To-Eat), and offer other military displays from 9 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Atrium. At 11:11 a.m., the names of Utah's military dead since the Sept. 11 attack will be read. From noon to 1:30 p.m. in Dumke Hall is a buffet lunch for students, faculty and staff who are veterans. At 4:30 p.m. at Stewart Clock Tower Plaza will be a 21-gun salute and ceremony that includes Congress Rob Bishop.
• Provo: The annual Veterans Day Tribute begins 10 a.m. at Timpview High School, 3570 N. 650 East. The tribute will include musical numbers and performances by the Timpview High School symphonic band, jazz band, and a cappella group. Students will spotlight honored veterans, and the keynote speaker will be Provo City Veterans Council Chair David Gunn.
• Salt Lake City: The University of Utah is holding its annual day of honoring veterans beginning with an 8:30 a.m. panel discussion on "Forgotten and Abandoned Vietnam Veterans" in the theater in the Olpin Union Building. At 11 a.m. is the cannon and full dress military salute to 11 veterans chosen as this year's honorees. At 7 p.m. at the Huntsman Center is the Utah National Guard 23rd Army Band 60th Annual Veterans Day Concert.
• Taylorsville: The city's annual parade begins at 11 a.m. at Valley Regional Park, 5100 S. 2700 West, and ends at Taylorsville City Hall, 2600 W. 5325 South. At 12:15 p.m., there will be a program at the Taylorsville Veterans Memorial on the south side of Taylorsville City Hall.
• Tooele: A breakfast and program will be held form 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Dow James Memorial Park, 438 W. 400 North.
• West Valley City: A dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by a 6 p.m. program at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 W. 3100 South.