I apologize for putting this up late on Memorial Day.

We should pause to remember and honor today six members of our class who were killed in Vietnam. Steven Donaldson, Louis Favuzza, Frederick Harrington, Robert Hauer, Christopher Markey, and Michael Monahan died in service to their country.

They are listed on the In memoriam page and more information, including photos, was presented in an earlier post, In honored memory. I acknowledged then, on Veterans Day, that we honored all who served on that day, but felt it appropriate to acknowledge these young men then. It is appropriate even more today.

We will miss their presence, and that of other classmates who have died, of course, at our reunion.

Many of us are veterans of the US Armed Forces. Vietnam and the draft perhaps resulted in a greater number than otherwise, but I’m pretty sure most veterans look back on their service as worthwhile and honorable. Today, we observe Veterans Day, which is officially tomorrow, November 11. The University community’s observance today is the 17th annual Boston College Veterans Remembrance Ceremony.

Veterans Day is when we honor all veterans, but let’s especially remember our six classmates who gave all, in Vietnam. Memorial Day is right before our reunion weekend, so it seems appropriate to acknowledge these men today. (The link attached to each name brings you to the page about the individual on the BC Veterans Memorial website.)

Steven Donaldson (Education), from Peabody, died April 5, 1969, in Quang Nam. He was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Marine Corps.

Louis Favuzza (Education), from Somerville, was a 1st Lieutenant in the Army (1st Cavalry)  when he died April 29, 1970, in Binh Long.

Frederick Harrington, from Watertown, left BC before graduation and entered the Army. He was a Corporal when he died October 22, 1968, in Dinh Tuong.

Robert Hauer (CBA), from Brookline, was piloting a forward observer aircraft when he was shot down September 5, 1970, in Khanh Hoa. He was an Air Force Captain.

Christopher Markey, from Birmingham, Mich., left BC before graduation. He was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Marine Corps when he died January 6, 1970, in Quang Nam.

Michael Monahan, from Dracut, started with us, but left BC early. He was a Private First Class in the Marine Corps when he died October 26, 1966, in Quang Tri.

If you knew any of the men on this list, we welcome recollections and comments.

This post is not related to our reunion, but to acknowledge that, on this day 16 years ago, a man who began BC with us was killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Kevin P. Connors ex’68 was a BC High grad who commuted to BC freshman year from his family home in Quincy. By the end of freshman year, he had won appointment to the US Naval Academy, from which he graduated in 1969.

In 2001, he was senior vice president of Euro Brokers and 55 years old. He was the stepfather of Karim Aryeh ’02, still a BC student at the time.

Kevin’s name is listed at the University’s Memorial Labyrinth, among the 22 BC alumni killed on September 11, 2001.

Memorial Labyrinth outside Bapst Library