Apoignant 8-by-10 black-and-white photograph of former Freehold Township resident John E. McDonough has been chosen to go on a national tour with the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Educational Center’s “Traveling Trunks” program.
This photograph of former Freehold Township resident John E. McDonough, taken while he was serving in Vietnam, has been selected to go on a national tour with the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Educational Center’s “Traveling Trunks” program. The “Traveling Trunks” program, a hands-on project, allows teachers to show their students original objects and documents that help tell the story of the Vietnam War.T
he first trunk, “Life and Times: Soldiers, Families and Nations,” helps explore answers to the essential question, “How does war affect soldiers and their families?” The trunk contains artifacts such as dog tags, uniforms, personal letters and photographs.
Stacia McDonough, of Bedminster, has provided a photograph of her late husband, John E. McDonough, training in taekwondo during his tour of duty in Vietnam.
Organizers of the “Traveling Trunks” program said the photograph of McDonough is a unique image of a soldier engaging in an activity outside of traditional military duties. They said it will relate well to a student who is interested in athletics.
“We are excited to put meaning behind the memory of an extremely brave soldier whose roots are similar to students who will be learning from it,” said Katie Henry, coordinator of education initiatives and resources of the Vietnam Era Museum and Educational Center.
McDonough was a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. He was with the 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron and served from 1972-73 in three specially designated “hot zones” during the war: Saigon, Nha Trang and Anloc.
“It is bittersweet,” Stacia McDonough said. “It makes me very sad that John never got the recognition and respect for his service and sacrifice during his life, that he now receives after his death. Unfortunately, this is the case with many of our Vietnam veterans.”
She explained that McDonough sought out the taekwondo lessons at night to relieve stress and earned his first- and second-degree black belts within one year.
There is also a photograph of McDonough with his taekwondo class on permanent display at the memorial’s educational center in Holmdel.
McDonough said her husband was an accomplished photographer and brought his camera to Vietnam. She said he handed the camera to another person in the taekwondo class and that individual snapped the picture that will be on the national tour with the “Traveling Trunks” program.
In 2008, McDonough was inducted into the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial “In Memory” program. According to a press release, this honor is reserved for veterans who, due to their service and sacrifice in Vietnam, died early as a direct result of their time spent “in country.”
McDonough died in 2005 at the age of 54 from complications caused by overexposure to the herbicide Agent Orange.
Stacia McDonough said fundraising efforts will begin this month that will eventually help pay for a film documentary about Vietnam veterans “and the collateral damage that was done by that war.”
The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial at Exit 116 on the Garden State Parkway in Holmdel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Vietnam Era Museum and Educational Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guided tours by volunteer Vietnam veterans are available by request. Adult admission is $5; student and senior citizen admission is $3; and children under 10 are admitted free. Admission is free for veterans and activeduty military personnel.