Picture Connecticut: A Somber Message On A Unique Monument

ANDOVER, CT — This week, Patch's Picture Connecticut tour makes a stop at the outer limits of Tolland County. A military monument along U.S. Route 6 presents a poignant message.

It's the Agent Orange monument at the military memorial park near Andover Town Hall.

The monument was dedicated in 2021 and the movement to place it was spearheaded by local veteran Gerry Wright. It is dedicated to the veterans who were exposed to the deadly herbicide during the Vietnam War.

The monument has a pair of inscriptions on its face:

"In memory of all those who died because of this chemical ... Please Pray for those veterans who continue to suffer because of it ... Remember their sacrifice."

And ...

"May this small plot of ground serve as a special reminder for those exposed to chemical and genetic warfare for generations to come."

A portion of Connecticut Route 316 from the intersection of United States Route 6 to Monument Lane near the location of Andover Veterans Monument Park in Andover has been designated "Agent Orange Memorial Highway."

According go the U.S. National Library of Medicine, from 1962 to 1971, the U.S. Air Force sprayed nearly 19 million gallons of herbicides in Vietnam, of which at least 11 million gallons was Agent Orange, in a military project called Operation Ranch Hand. An additional quantity (1.6 million gallons has been documented) of herbicides was applied to base perimeters, roadways, and communication lines by helicopter and surface sprayings from riverboats, trucks, or backpacks. Herbicide operations in Vietnam had two primary military objectives — the defoliation of trees and plants to improve observation and destruction of enemy crops.

____

Picture Connecticut is a weekly Patch series featuring unique images of the state, past and present.
Previous featured images:

• The Sunken Garden, Farmington
• Lafayette Tour Monument, Vernon
• The Pinchot Sycamore, Simsbury
• Bob's Discount Furniture Studios, Manchester