In June 1969, a US destroyer suffers a tragic accident with significant loss of life while off the coast of Vietnam. 40 years later, the survivors and the families of those that died struggle to keep the memory alive of those that gave their life for their country.—Anonymous

The summer of 1969 became a defining moment in the zeitgeist of the United States. Apollo 11 brought Man to the moon, Woodstock became the touchstone of a new generation and the Manson murders in California riveted a nation. While in South East Asia a war raged and soon started to consume a country. In that same summer, the crew of a US destroyer, the USS Frank E. Evans would be put in harms way conducting naval operations in support of the Vietnam War. While performing their assigned duty in the South China Sea, they would experience an accident that still has repercussions today. In the early morning of June 3, 1969 the USS Frank E Evans collided with the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne that left the US destroyer dead in the water with 74 sailors dead or missing. The tragic accident claimed the lives of three brothers who served aboard the ship along with 71 others who died while performing their duty that night. Investigations were held and blame was assigned, but for the survivors and the family of the fallen, a second tragedy occurred when the names of the 74 were not included on the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. Strict interpretations of policy and war zone definitions have prevented multiple attempts to include the names on the Wall. This is despite repeated attempts by survivors and family to honor those that died for their country so many years ago.—Tom