Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 9, 1 September 1986 — Veteran's Goal is a Survivor's Memorial [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Veteran's Goal is a Survivor's Memorial

Vietnam veteran Jimmy Enoeeneio is a man with a mission. The part-Hawaiian Pearl City resident has just completed a four and one-half month cross-country "Lone Soldier Freedom March." Dressed in full combat gear he walked and hitch-hiked more than 15,000 milep, living off the land and the generosity of those he eame in contact with. In the process he lost 55 pounds, his weiqht droopinq from 267 to 212.

During his odyssey, Enoeeneio interviewed and photographed veterans in big cities and small towns from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. for his book "Paying the Price, Soldier's Stories." The best of the interviews and photos will form the basis for a proposed memorial to survivors of all of America's wars whieh he calls "The Hawaii State Veterans' Living Memorial . . . Paying the Price: A Tribute to Those Who Have Survived." Enoeeneio joined the Army when he was 17 and went to Vietnam at 18. He was a point man in a Recon/Sniper team with the Americal Division, earning the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and other commendations.

The 316 interviews span the entire social spectrum of society, from the rich and prosperous to the skid row wino. Enoeeneio says everyone will be able to relate to some of the people portrayed. He asks the same six questions of eaeh person he interviews. 1. What is the most memorable thing you ean recall growing up? 2. What is the most vivid memory of your war? 3. What was it like coming home after your war experience and what have you done with your life? 4. What is your greatest accomplishment? 5. What are your goals in life . . . where do you go from here?

Finally, Enoeeneio says, because these people have experienced life's ups and downs, he asks eaeh one: 6) "What kind of advice would you like to leave the young people?" Enoeeneio plans to choose the 200 best interviews and photographs for inclusion in his memorial whieh is based on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, the "Black Wall" in Washington, D.C. However, because of the somber color of the wall and because you walk down to view the more than 58,000 names, he feels the Washington structure instills depression and reflects animosity, fear and guilt. Enoeeneio says the Hawaii State Veterans Living Memorial is about war veterans who made it back. "It points upward . . . we're talking about life now, not about death and dying."

Initially he plans a traveling version of the memorial whieh will be displayed in all 40 cities and towns in whieh he did interviews. Eventually, Enoeeneio hopestoerect a permanent version of the display on the grounds of Fort DeRussy. The 33-year-old former Army Sergeant expects to establish a fund raising committee to make his ambitious dreams eome true. His immediate plans are to complete his interviewing during a hike around the Big Island with one of his sons. He and his wife Caroline have two boys and three girls. When he gets back, Enoeeneio hopes to launeh a media campaign and display a model of the memorial at various shopping centers in Honolulu.

Vietnam veteran Jimmy Enoeeneio displays model of proposed memorial to survivors of all of America's wars. He also plans to write a book "Faying the Price, Soldier's Stories" from interviews taken during a recent odyssey across the United States.