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More than 760 Vietnam veterans, including 25 from North Carolina --three from Rutherford County -- were inducted into the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's (VVMF) In Memory Program in 2026. VVMF believes all those who served in the Vietnam War should be honored and remembered for their service. The In Memory program enables the families and friends of those who came home and later died, the opportunity to have them be forever memorialized.
On Saturday, June 20 VVMF hosted the 2026 In Memory ceremony on the East Knoll of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, where each 2026 honoree's names were read aloud.
"For many Vietnam veterans, coming home from Vietnam was just the beginning of a whole new fight. Many never fully recovered, either physically or emotionally, from their experiences. As these veterans pass, it is our duty and solemn promise to welcome them home to the place that our nation has set aside to remember our Vietnam veterans," said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF. The plaque that honors these veterans was dedicated as a part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site in 2004. It 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."
Rutherford County Vietnam veterans honored were Ronald L. Hardin of Rutherfordton; Daniel J. Hegeman from Rutherfordton and Arthur C. Littlejohn, Jr. from Forest City. Hardin died on Sept. 16, 2019; Hegeman died on Oct, 31, 2024 and Littlejohn passed away Jan. 24, 2025.
Lynn Hegeman of Rutherfordton and family members attended the ceremony and placed roses at The Vietnam Wall in honor of her late husband Dan Hegeman. Their son Michael Hegeman from Long Island, New York and granddaughter Dakota Currier, a student at UNCC, attended the ceremony.
"I just felt completely humbled with such a sense of gratitude for what dad did at such a young age," said Michael. "Also it was very grounding to see how many people lost their lives fighting for this country not returning home. I am very grateful for his memory to be able to live on with all the other brave men and women. I feel such a level of appreciation."
He said he is very grateful for what the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund does to honor the men and women who bravely fought for the country.
Lynn said when Dan became sick with Agent Orange, "We knew what we were dealing with. It is a different type of caregiving, showing those that are still surviving are still cared for and still honored," he said.
Melissa Metcalf LeRoy of Forest City also attended the Veterans ceremony in Washington to remember her father, Oscar Metcalf. He was inducted into the In-Memory Program in 2020 but the ceremony on June 20 was her first opportunity to honor him publicly in Washington.
Melissa said, "This past Father's Day weekend, attending the In Memory ceremony and reading my dad's name aloud, I felt the weight of both our loss and his legacy in a way I never have before. When he died in 2020 from glioblastoma caused by Agent Orange, it felt like his story had ended too quietly for a man who had given so much. To see him honored through the In Memory program, and to know his name lives on also at the Orange Heart Memorial Wall in Tennessee, was a powerful reminder that his sacrifice did not go unnoticed. As I placed a rose in his memory on Father's Day, I wasn't just mourning my dad; I was honoring the soldier, the husband, the father, and the gentle, steady presence who shaped my life. Being able to participate in the rose ceremony on Father's Day wrapped my grief and my gratitude together. I was surrounded by others who understand this unique kind of loss and I felt less alone. It meant everything to know that my dad's courage, his suffering from Agent Orange, and the love he poured into our family are now permanently recognized. In that moment, I felt immense pride, deep sorrow, and a quiet peace, knowing that his name, his story, and his sacrifice will continue to be spoken and remembered."
The Hegemans and Melissa LeRoy were among over 2,000 people attending the event, honoring their loved ones who served in Vietnam and came home only to continue fighting the effects of being exposed to Agent Orange.
Melissa and her husband, Chris LeRoy, relocated in Rutherford County six years ago when he was named Forest City Police Chief.
Lynn Hegeman is serving on the Rutherford County Committee for "The Wall that Heals" coming to Rutherford County November 12-15 at the soccer fields off Piney Ridge Road in Spindale. Lynn also said VVMF has created a personal remembrance page for each honoree online in the In Memory Honor Roll at www.vvmf.org/honor-roll. Their photos will also be displayed around the country in the VVMF's mobile exhibit.
The In Memory program was created in 1993 and, after this year's ceremony, more than 8,300 veterans will have been honored.
For more information on the In Memory program or to apply to have a loved one honored in 2027, visit www.vvmf.org/in memory. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is the nonprofit organization that founded the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) in Washington, D.C. in 1982. VVMF continues to lead the way in paying tribute to our nation's Vietnam Veterans and their families. VVMF's mission is to honor and preserve the legacy of service in America and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War and era.
