Randy Ark is a Vietnam veteran, former Army combat medic and one of Clark County's most dedicated advocates for veterans. He's helped lead efforts to create and expand the Veterans Memorial Park Complex in Springfield, Ohio, ensuring that the stories and sacrifices of local veterans are remembered.
Marine Corps veteran and Veterans' Voices producer Zack Sliver met with Randy to talk about his service in Vietnam and his lifelong commitment to honoring those who serve.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Randy Ark: I received a draft notice in November 1967. You know, you go and do what you think is your duty. My dad was a World War II veteran. It was part of the reason I went in. I wanted to do what Dad did. I honored my father so much. I don't know why he let me become a combat medic, but you would think he would have said something like, "Hey, that's kind of dangerous." Yeah, but combat medics and lieutenants, radio men, those were the marks for the Viet Cong.
Zack Sliver: For me, being a veteran, I want to thank you for your service. What you did wasn't easy, and you were asked to do it. So I appreciate your service.
So, Randy, can you tell us about your involvement in the Veterans Memorial Park Complex?
Ark: Well, I've been working with the Memorial Complex for years, but I wanted the people who came to the park to realize that there were people. I'm gonna get teary-eyed. I felt like I had to do something so when people go there, they go, "What are all these names here?" Those are people who died — Clark County teenagers, a lot of them 18, 19, 20 — that gave their lives, you know, that died in battle, never made it home, you know. They never reached all those Christmases we had, all those Thanksgivings we had. You know, it didn't happen for them. And I hated that, you know, them not being recognized, or honored, or remembered. And I had my daughter, who's an art teacher, make up a big old thermometer type: We need this much money, we got this much. And that was in 2011. And so I helped a lot with getting money. And, oh, we put a QR code, this little black QR code. They can scan that and see pictures on their phone. And it has all about how the memorial was developed, why it was developed. It's amazing. Some of the stories, they will bring tears to your eyes. There's no doubt.
Sliver: What inspired you to dedicate so much time and effort to it?
Ark: My time and effort was dedicated because that's the way I felt about veterans. Of course, Vietnam veterans get honored a lot more now than they did back then, for sure. I even kept an article that was in the paper that said Vietnam vets are considered suckers for going. This was in the Springfield News-Sun when we came home, and I kind of remember that one. I cut it out. It's somewhere. But things have changed.
Sliver: The people who attend the park, what do you hope they'll leave with?
Ark: That there are people who had enough patriotism. I don't know what you want to call it, but gosh, there were like 63 people from Clark County who died, you know, in Vietnam. They loved freedom so much. You know, you go through your life, and you're always going, "Gosh, I never thought of it that way." And that's what I hope they gain from it. I hope that it just stirs something emotionally.
Veterans' Voices is presented by Wright-Patt Credit Union. Additional support comes from the Dayton Ombudsman Veterans Transition Team and Montgomery County Veterans Service Commission. Veterans' Voices is produced at the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices.
