Vietnam Veteran Memorial Pavilion now open in Patriot Park

VICTORIA, Texas – With years in the making and community support the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Pavilion is now open in Patriot Park. The pavilion is dedicated to those who served in Vietnam but anyone is welcome to come to enjoy the new space. There was a dedication ceremony Saturday morning, January 15 2022 with around 50 people in attendance, despite the windy conditions.

Ernest Montez is an Army Veteran serving in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971. Montez has been the driving force behind the creation of the memorial and made sure his dream came to fruition. With the project funded completely through donations, Montez says that generous donors helped make this happen.

“I went throughout Victoria trying to get support and it was slow, but a lot of anonymous people came forward and they helped us along the way,” says Montez.

Ernest Montez, a Vietnam War Veteran, gives a speech at the dedication event for the new memorial.

Montez gave a speech at the dedication event and the Colorguard was also in attendance. The memorial features two park benches as well as bricks with the names of veterans who served in Vietnam, which Montez says is a great way to honor his fellow Vietnam Veterans.

“This means a lot. There’s a lot of history on these bricks that we have here. The main thing is we can come out here, relax, and look at the names, and memories will come back of everyone, that we were here, as brothers,” says Montez.

Montez says that he’s working on another project for veterans but that it’s still in the early stages, he also says that his wife has been his biggest support throughout the project.

“I just thank my wife, who’s supported me all the way, and she was with me every day here,” says Montez.

The memorial pavilion is located in Patriot Park which is at the intersection of Timber Road and Fordyce Road.