August 28, 2012
Tags: 26th Marine Regiment, Arlington, Bravo, Bravo! Common Men Uncommon Valor, Documentary Movies, Khe Sanh, Khe Sanh Veterans, Massachusetts, Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel, Siege of Khe Sanh, Veterans Affairs, Vietnam, Vietnam War, Virginia, Washington DC, West Roxbury
Here is updated information about upcoming screenings of BRAVO! COMMON MEN, UNCOMMON VALOR.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel
900 S. Orme Street
Arlington, VA
Room: Cavalier A & B
Time: 1:00 PM
Saturday, September 8, 2012
West Roxbury Division Veterans Affairs
1400 VFW Parkway
West Roxbury, MA
Time: 3:00 PM
Room locations may be subject to change in which case we will provide further updates.
Please contact us at 208-340-8889 or ken@bravotheproject.com for more information.
August 20, 2012
Tags: 26th Marine Regiment, Bill Jayne, Bravo, Bravo Company, Bravo! Common Men Uncommon Valor, Documentary Movies, Khe Sanh, Khe Sanh Veterans, Marie Chalmers, Massachusetts, Medford, Siege of Khe Sanh, Vietnam War, Vinnie Mottola, Washington DC, West Roxbury
Our minds have a way of bringing us back in time. When I stand at my cousin Vinnie’s grave on the Vietnam Memorial lawn at Oak Grove cemetery in Medford, MA, I am a young woman again of 21. A flag is presented, Taps are played, gun salutes go off. It all comes back to me.
PFC Vincent Antonio Mottola was 18 years old when he was killed at Khe Sanh on February 23, 1968, leaving behind his mother, father, two brothers and many cousins, aunts and uncles who loved him.
As one of the men from Bravo described Vinnie, he was funny, irreverent (definitely), and carried his own weight.
Vinnie Mottola
Almost 44 years later, my nephew Jimmy was watching a documentary about the siege at Khe Sanh. It sparked a desire to find out more about Vinnie. He had never known Vinnie. My nephew was born 3 years after Vinnie died. This is how my nephew Jimmy found out about “Bravo! Common Men, Uncommon Valor.”
By this past January I was in contact with Ken Rodgers, Bill Jayne and others who remembered Vinnie. Bill Jayne remembered the day Vinnie was killed. To be able to speak to other Marines who knew Vinnie after 44 years was surreal. They were able to answer our questions about how he was killed. The muses online gave me the opportunity to get to know these fine men and learn about the siege at Khe Sanh from the Marine point of view.
Come the end of August I hope to join these gallant Marines in D.C. for the Khe Sanh Veterans reunion, listen to their stories and see a preview of the documentary. There are plans for a Boston showing on Saturday, September 8, 2012 at 3pm at the West Roxbury VA hospital facility if anyone is interested. We also would like to hear from anyone else who might remember Vinnie.
Marie Chalmers: Mchalm1044@aol.com.
