Media release provided by Tri-County Technical College Public Relations.
PENDLETON, S.C. — Tri-County Technical College (TCTC) unveiled its newly relocated and redesigned Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Wednesday, Nov. 11, honoring service members from Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties who died during the Vietnam War.
Originally dedicated on May 25, 1980, the memorial was the first Vietnam Veterans Memorial in South Carolina, and specifically honored fallen service members from Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties. The memorial once stood at the main entrance to the College’s Pendleton Campus.
It now resides behind Oconee Hall, one of the most highly trafficked areas of campus, providing a more accessible location for students, employees and visitors to reflect and pay their respects. “As students, employees and visitors pass this memorial each day, it will serve as a visible reminder of the courage, sacrifice and patriotism of the veterans from Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties who gave their lives in service to our nation,” TCTC President Galen DeHay said.
The redesigned memorial preserves the original marble monument while incorporating six marble emblems representing the branches of the United States Armed Forces. The updated site also features a lighted flag plaza and three marble markers inscribed with the names of local veterans who died in Vietnam.
Former TCTC President Don C. Garrison conceived the original memorial, which was made possible through contributions from students, faculty, staff, the Veterans Club, the American Legion and family and friends of Johnny Purser, former coordinator of TCTC’s Veterans Affairs program. Those contributions funded the flags, flagpoles, monuments and stonework that established the memorial as a lasting tribute to local veterans.
S.C. Rep. Blake Sanders, R-Anderson, a landscape architect by profession, played a key role in the memorial's relocation and redesign, creating the design plans that guided the project's transformation. "As the first Vietnam Veterans Memorial established in South Carolina, this monument holds a special place in our state's history,” Sanders said. “Its relocation and redesign ensure that future generations remember the service and sacrifice of these local heroes. We are preserving a promise that their sacrifice will never be forgotten, ensuring a promise that the campus will have a place to pause, reflect, and understand that the freedoms we enjoy came at a tremendous cost. "
The ceremony included a presentation of the colors by the Pendleton High School Air Force JROTC, the national anthem by TCTC student musicians, and a formal dedication and moment of silence. During the formal dedication, President DeHay said, “As the College rededicates the memorial, it renews its commitment to honoring all who have worn the nation’s uniform in times of war and peace. The memorial will continue to provide a place for future generations to learn about the sacrifices of local service members and reflect on their enduring legacy.”
