Annual Remembrance at Monument Hill for Texas Heroes Day Saturday

Special programs for Texas Heroes Day will take place in La Grange on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Though rooted in reunions hosted on Monument Hill since 1848, Texas Heroes Day was officially established as a Texas Honor Day in 2012 by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Today, many organizations honor the past and present service of Texans in the military with Texas Heroes Day events hosted throughout the state.

Kreische Brewery and Monument Hill State Historic Sites will host its annual Monument Hill Remembrance Ceremony on the grounds at 10 a.m. Along with the traditional wreath laying and gun salute led by costumed reenactors, this year’s ceremony will feature special remarks from Texas historian Sam W. Haynes. Presidents of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the Sons of the Republic of Texas will also offer remarks. Admission fees are waived for ceremony attendees. Seating for the ceremony may be limited, and personal lawn chairs are welcomed and encouraged.The remembrance ceremony will be streamed on Facebook for those unable to attend in person.

In the afternoon, Monument Hill State Historic Site will host Sam W. Haynes for an Author Talk and Audience Q&A. Dr. Haynes is a professor at the University of Texas-Arlington and an author of several works on Texas history, including his most recent, Unsettled Land: From Revolution to Republic, the Struggle for Texas. This event will begin at 1:30 p.m. on the site grounds.

RSVPs through the Eventbrite website are encouraged, but admission to the event will be free. Books will be available for purchase and signing after the event. Additionally, the Texas Heroes Museum in La Grange will host a special Texas Heroes Day event from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. The museum will host a showing of the documentary film, “A Touch of Home,” as well as the chance to meet a Vietnam Donut Dolly, Joyce Denke. The “Donut Dollies” were American Red Cross women who volunteered during the Vietnam War to provide a touch of home by serving donuts and organizing recreation for the troops. Admission to the event is $5 and is free for Museum members.

For more info, visit www. friendsofkbmh.org/ Remembrance or call the sites’ Visitors Center at (979) 968-5658.

More About ‘Donut Dollies’ Event at Heroes Museum

Approximately 627 women served as Donut Dollies in Vietnam. They were collegeeducated, single women aged 21–24, selected for their outgoing personalities and ability to handle challenging environments. They underwent two weeks of training in Washington, D.C., learning military ranks, war zone protocols, and morale-building activities.

• Mission: Their primary goal was to uplift troops by visiting military bases, remote firebases, and hospitals. They traveled over 2 million miles by jeep, truck, and helicopter, often under dangerous conditions, to deliver games, Kool-Aid, music, and conversation, reminding soldiers of home.

• Challenges: Donut Dollies faced risks like sniper fire, mortar attacks, and helicopter crashes. Three died in Vietnam: one from illness, one in a jeep accident, and one, Virginia “Ginny” Kirsch, murdered in 1970 at Cu Chi.

Many later experienced PTSD but were not recognized as veterans, limiting their access to benefits like Agent Orange- related care.