In Michael Dunlap's final moments, his wife Jaqueline laid her head on her husband's chest and listened for his heart to stop.
When the rhythmic beat came to an end, she knew that her husband was finally free.
Michael Dunlap, a Vietnam War veteran from Madison, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and complications related to Agent Orange exposure upon returning home. He also grappled with the loss of his brother, Darrell Dunlap, who died in the war about three months before Michael was shipped out.
Michael Dunlap is one of five West Virginia veterans who will be honored during an In Memory program Saturday, hosted by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
The program recognizes soldiers whose lives were cut short because of circumstances related to their service, but who are not able to have their names inscribed on the memorial wall under guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Jaqueline Dunlap, who is writing a book about her life as a veteran's wife, said that living with a veteran suffering from PTSD was, at times, "pure hell." Nonetheless, she said that she is a "forever wife" and helping her husband survive life after war is something that she prides herself in.
"A lot of people don't believe in PTSD. They think that people are already that way. But when you can't touch a person to wake them up ..." she said, trailing off.
She won't be able to attend the ceremony, but she thinks it will be beneficial for families of Vietnam veterans and will spread awareness about PTSD and Agent Orange-related illnesses.
"I'd love to be able to make people understand what a post-traumatic stress veteran has on their mind and how they treat the ones who support them," she said.
Jacqueline and Michael Dunlap were high school sweethearts who graduated from Scott High School in 1965 and tied the knot in Chicago shortly after. About 10 months later, Dunlap was drafted and joined the U.S. Navy. He received several medals, including the Vietnam Service, National Defense Service and Vietnam Campaign medals.
In January 2012, he died following complications with a gallbladder surgery related to Agent Orange, Jacqueline Dunlap said. She plans to have his ashes buried at the Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery in Dunbar later this year.
Other West Virginia inductees at Saturday's ceremony include Carmey Davidson of Beckley, Michael Hamrick of Clay and John Wilson of Wheeling, all members of the U.S. Army. U.S. Marine Corps veteran Rodger Thorn, of Tunnelton, will be inducted, as well.
Each has passed away in recent years due to illnesses, which Heidi Zimmerman, director of communications for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, said are usually related to exposure to Agent Orange, PTSD-related illnesses or events following their service.
About 2,000 people will attend to support the 312 service members who will be inducted, Zimmerman said. The ceremony will take place on the East Knoll of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial near the In Memory plaque. The plaque reads "In memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and later died as a result of their service. We honor and remember their sacrifice."
Family members in attendance will have the opportunity to read the name of their lost veteran when he or she is inducted. They will also receive a framed photo of their loved one, which Zimmerman said is usually left at the memorial wall, allowing the veterans to symbolically join those who died in combat.
Capt. Denis Faherty will serve as the event's master of ceremonies, while Jim Knotts, president and chief executive officer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, will deliver the keynote address. Zimmerman said Faherty and Knotts will talk about the importance of honoring the veterans who faced a second battle with their illnesses after returning home.
The ceremony is a way to honor the veterans who do not meet the Department of Defense's eligibility requirements. The guidelines state that a service member must have perished because of wounds inflicted during combat in Vietnam to have his or her name included on the wall.
"Just because the DOD says that you're not eligible to be on the wall," Zimmerman said, "doesn't mean that your service shouldn't be honored."
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is now accepting applications for its 2017 In Memory ceremony. Family members of deceased Vietnam veterans they believe to be eligible for recognition can apply on the organization's website.
Reach Jared Casto at
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