NEWARK, N.J. — New and restored gravesites of four young servicemen who died during the Vietnam War were unveiled at a Newark cemetery Saturday.
A new plaque at Woodland Cemetery honors Marines Vincent Samson Coles and Leon Earl Bell, alongside Eason Jasper Maxey and Leroy Williams Jr. of the United States Army. All were between 18-23 years old when they died in action.
In addition to the plaque, Bell and Coles’ gravestones were renewed, and Maxey and Williams received gravestones for the first time after their gravesites went unmarked for the past 50-plus years.
Woodland Cemetery opened in 1855, and volunteers who have dozens of family members buried there see this as a step towards enhancing the cemetery after years of neglect .
“We’re here out of respect to our families and to even people we don’t know,” said Warren Vincentz, vice president of operations for Woodland Cemetery.