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Artist’s rendering of memorial for victims of Agent Orange exposure to be unveiled next month at Lake Park in Des Plaines.
Episode 3118 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the the unveiling of an Agent Orange memorial in Des Plaines, IL. The featured story appeared on The Journal & Topics Media Group website. It is titled: Unveil Memorial To Victims Of Agent Orange During Vietnam War on Oct. 11. It was submitted by Todd Wessell.
Wessell reported that after undergoing heart surgery in 2022, Vietnam veteran Craig Jacobs had a powerful realization: the suffering caused by Agent Orange needed to be honored and remembered. Jacobs, a member of Des Plaines American Legion Post 36 and the local Vietnam Veterans Association, was inspired to create a memorial for those affected by the deadly chemical. His own exposure occurred in 1971 while serving at Da Nang Air Base in Vietnam with the U.S. Navy.
Agent Orange, a toxic defoliant used during the Vietnam War, contained TCDD, a highly dangerous dioxin. Its purpose was to strip vegetation and crops, but it left a devastating human toll. An estimated 300,000 American veterans have died from Agent Orange-related illnesses, including cancers, heart disease, and other severe health conditions. In Vietnam, the chemical is believed to have caused another 400,000 deaths. Countless others—veterans and Vietnamese civilians alike—continue to suffer from its long-term effects.
For Jacobs, the pain is personal. He later discovered that two friends he served with had died from Agent Orange exposure—he only learned of their deaths after attempting to reconnect with them post-war.
Now, his vision will be realized on October 11, when an Agent Orange Memorial will be unveiled at the Lake Park Memorial Pavilion in Des Plaines. The monument honors all who died because of the chemical, and acknowledges those still battling its effects. A portion of the inscription reads: “In memory of all those who died because of this chemical. Pray for those still suffering.”
The public is invited to attend the ceremony, which will take place on the west side of the band shell, as a solemn tribute to the immense suffering endured by Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange.
Listen to Episode 3118 and discover more about the unveiling of an Agent Orange memorial in Des Plaines, IL
