Alexandria to honor veterans Tuesday with ceremony
City offices closed; trash collection delayed one day through week
Alexandria will commemorate Veterans Day on Tuesday with a ceremony honoring all those who have served, while city offices and some services will be closed in observance of the federal holiday.
The Friends of Rocky Versace and the city’s Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities Department will host the indoor ceremony from 1 to 2:15 p.m. at Mount Vernon Recreation Center, 2701 Commonwealth Ave. The free event will honor all veterans and the 68 Alexandrians killed or missing in action during the Vietnam War, including Capt. Humbert Roque “Rocky” Versace, a former Del Ray resident and posthumous Medal of Honor recipient.
The ceremony will feature patriotic music, the national anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance and recognition of Gold Star families. Officials will read the names of Alexandria’s 68 Vietnam War fallen heroes and present the Vietnam Era Veteran Lapel Pin to qualified veterans who served on active duty between Nov. 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975. Service in Southeast Asia is not required for the pin.
A hero’s story
Born in 1937 at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, Versace graduated from West Point in 1959. He lived in Alexandria from 1948 to 1953 before serving in Korea and Vietnam.
The Viet Cong captured Versace and two other American soldiers on Oct. 29, 1963. Despite two leg wounds, he maintained his faith and adherence to the Code of Conduct throughout 23 months of captivity.
According to his Medal of Honor citation, fellow prisoners last heard Versace singing “God Bless America” from his isolation box. The Viet Cong executed him on Sept. 26, 1965.
President George W. Bush posthumously awarded Versace the Medal of Honor on July 8, 2002. Two days later, Army leadership inducted him into the Department of Defense Hall of Heroes.
The memorial
The Captain Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veterans Memorial, dedicated July 6, 2002, honors 68 Alexandria men who died or remain missing in action in Southeast Asia: 45 soldiers, 15 Marines, five airmen, and three sailors.
Entrepreneur Michael Heisley contributed $175,000 for the project. Architect Antonio Tobias “Toby” Mendez designed and sculpted the memorial, which features a bronze statue of Versace with two children.
The Friends of Rocky Versace maintains the memorial and conducts annual ceremonies in honor of Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
For more information, email FoRV59@gmail.com, call 703-746-5556, or visit Rocky’s Display Case at Mount Vernon Recreation Center.
Holiday service adjustments
City offices will be closed on Tuesday. Residential refuse, recycling, and yard waste collection will be suspended and delayed one day through the week:
Monday collection remains unchanged
Tuesday collection moves to Wednesday
Wednesday collection moves to Thursday
Thursday collection moves to Friday
Curbside food waste collection follows the regular schedule.