By Roslyn Ryan, Editor
editor@powhatantoday.com

No sooner had Major Clyde O. Childress (Ret.) finished cleaning up after his gigantic Fourth of July fundraiser celebration last year, an event that drew thousands to his Powhatan home, then the questions started.

Childress says everyone he met around town kept asking him the same thing: What on Earth was he going to do this year?

Now, it seems, they have their answer.

On June 13, Childress will once again open his home for a patriotic celebration, this time in honor of Flag Day.

Childress said he knew immediately after the first party had ended that he wanted to do some kind of fundraiser— all proceeds from last year’s celebration were donated to a program for the families of wounded veterans — but he wasn’t sure until a few months later just who he would raise those funds for.

Once Childress learned that, due to budget cuts, the Virginia War Memorial would no longer be able to purchase the flags that fly in honor of each service branch, he knew he had found a worthy cause.

“I thought, ‘fundraiser,’ ‘flags,’ ‘Flag Day,’” and the ball was officially rolling, says Childress.

He has already lined up The United States Marine Corp Concert Band, The Virginia Barbershop Chorus and the Saint Andrews Legion of Pipers and Drummers to perform, and will also welcome Delegate R. Lee Ware and Captain Catherine S. Wilson, the Executive Director of the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program, to speak during the celebration.

Wilson’s organization, which provides assistance for veterans dealing with war injuries, will also receive proceeds from the event.

The Flag Day celebration will take place at the Old Tavern Road home Childress shares with his wife Connie. The couple moved into the home, lovingly nicknamed Vista Del Lago, just before last year’s Fourth of July party. 

Though last year’s event appeared to go off without a hitch, Clyde Childress’ military background far surpasses his experience as an events coordinator.

A decorated Marine officer and aviator, Childress flew over 500 combat missions in Vietnam. He was shot down twice, and received, among other honors, the Distinguished Flying Cross.

To him, however, those years were about much more than the awards he earned.

“I came home with 21 Air Medals, a few other ‘atta-boys’ and a whole bunch of bad memories,” said Childress last week.

Almost all the men he flew with were wounded in some way, he says, and like many Vietnam veterans he did not receive a heroes’ welcome when he returned home.

Now retired, he has dedicated himself to supporting veterans’ causes.

“I just want to make sure that we’re not forgetting about them,” he said last week, noting that he considers a veteran anyone who has served his country, regardless of whether he or she served on the front limes.

“We all do our duty whether we are getting shot at or [not],” he said. “It takes every last one of us.”

For more information on Childress’ Flag Day celebration, which is being sponsored by the James M. Slay Detachment of the Marine Corp League, visit www.richmondmarines.org.