GREENVILLE — Fort GreeneVille Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemoration Commemorative Partner, will be holding a rededication ceremony at the Bears Mill Vietnam Memorial with a bronze plaque at the site. The unveiling of the new bronze plaque will be on Friday, Sept. 30, 11 a.m. The Bears Mill Vietnam Memorial is located next to historical Bears Mill on Arcanum Bears Mill Road, Greenville.

Presenting the colors will be the Versailles VFW/American Legion Color Guard Unit. The Vietnam Memorial at Bears Mill was created by Terry Clark, a Vietnam Veteran, and other local Vietnam Veterans including Craig Jenkinson, Mike Good, Bob Sharp, and Chuck Shields. It was dedicated in 1989 to “the men who never came home by the men who did” and to all Darke County Vietnam War Veterans. The memorial was created from the Darke County Courthouse’s original dome.

During the March 29, 2022 National Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremony at the memorial, it was noticed that weather had taken its toll on the plaque that named all the Darke County Vietnam soldiers that never came home. Fort GreeneVille DAR stepped up to the honor to have the existing plaque replaced with a bronze plaque. With the help from Mike Wise, Lasting Legacy Memorials and the family of Vietnam soldier, Gerald F. Subler, Versailles, a bronze plaque will be placed and dedicated.

A special thank you goes to the family of Gerald F. Subler. Gerald’s brother Gene and Nancy Subler recently visited the memorial for the first time and appreciated the memorial. After contacting Fort GreeneVille DAR, the family made a generous donation. In honor of the donation, Terry Clark and Fort GreeneVille DAR felt it appropriate to hold the dedication on Sept. 30.

Gerald Francis Subler was born on Dec. 30, 1947, Versailles. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and began his tour on September 11, 1968. Subler was attached to the 1st Marine Division, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, B Company. During his service in the Vietnam War, Marine Corps Lance Corporal sustained hostile artillery rocket mortar in South Vietnam, Quang Nam Province and lost his life on Sept. 30, 1968.

Please plan to attend this honorable event in honor of all those listed at the memorial and all who served in the Vietnam War.

Fort GreeneVille Chapter DAR is a commemorative partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration — a 13-year program to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the war. Since 2012, the federal government has partnered with local governments, private organizations, and communities to commemorate the Vietnam 50th anniversary.