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Staff Report

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This week marks the 42nd anniversary of the death of Anthony C. Armbruster from Orange, who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War. This Texas hero gave his life for freedom and his sacrifice should never be forgotten. On the anniversary of Armbruster’s death, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and the Texas Grassroots Campaign to Build the Education Center remember Armbruster and honor this hero.

The VVMF is seeking information about Armbruster from his friends and family members still residing in Orange for the planned Education Center, which will honor Armbruster with a photograph and personal remembrances, to share his story beyond his name on the Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. A national call for photos has been issued by the VVMF to honor all 58,264 names on The Wall, of which 3,416 are from Texas.

Jay Kimbrough, Texas Coordinator for the VVMF and a Vietnam veteran said, “Armbruster and the others on The Wall are the ones we need to honor and remember. They gave everything for us and we must do our part to tell their stories.”

Several Texans are already contributing to the cause to remember our heroes and build the Education Center, including Texan Peter Holt, owner of the San Antonio Spurs. Holt has pledged a matching contribution for every dollar given from Texans to build the Center – up to $1 million. To make the Education Center a reality, , the VVMF reaches out to the people of Orange.

Armbruster indicated Orange as his home of record, and the VVMF asks anyone who has a photo or information about Armbruster to please go to BuildtheCenter.org to find out how to honor Armbruster. You can also contact the Texas Grassroots Coordinator, Cassie Ladd for assistance at [email protected].

“Our grassroots campaign focuses in on each of the 3,416 and telling their stories,” Kimbrough said. “Texans are known for honoring our military service members and it’s our duty to remember Name and make sure that our country never forgets his story.”

Established in 1979, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., promoting healing and educating about the impact of the Vietnam War. Authorized by Congress, its most recent initiative is building The Education Center at The Wall, an underground facility near the Memorial that is designed to add faces to all the names on the Wall and tell the stories of those who served. Other Memorial Fund initiatives include educational programs for students and teachers, a traveling Wall replica that honors our nation’s veterans and a humanitarian and mine-action program in Vietnam.

For more information contact: Cassie Ladd, [email protected], 512-997-8427 and go to http://www.buildthecenter.org/get-involved/call-for-photos.