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On Monday afternoon this week (Sept. 21), the Dorchester Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee and members of the UMass Boston facilities team observed the 40th anniversary of its installation on a plot of waterfront land owned by UMass Boston along Morrissey Boulevard.
The Dorchester Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee and UMass Boston officials gathered on Monday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the memorial, which contains the names of 82 Dorchester residents who were killed in Vietnam War. Seth Daniel photo
The memorial was completed in September 1986 after four years of a hard-fought effort to raise money and secure rights to the land by original planning committee members like the late Jim Walsh and Ted Coakley, said Committee member Ed Pimental.
“They collected money here, there, and everywhere in Dorchester and it was amazing,” he said. “The money just came in.”
Pimental, Joe Zinck, and Jimmy McCarron took over the effort soon after that and held their first Memorial Day commemoration in 1997.
“We built it out over four to five years the way we see it here today with the memorial, the flags and various plantings,” said Pimental. “It’s all because of UMass Boston taking care of our grass and the security. We couldn’t do it without them. If they didn’t do what they did, we’d have given up a long time ago.”
Richard Dobbyn, who on Monday helped to read off the names of those from Dorchester who died in the Vietnam War, was among those who gathered at the site on Monday. “I’ve been here every year for 40 years of our memorial services and I wouldn’t miss it,” he said.
Committee member Lisa Zinck (above), the daughter of the late Joe Zinck, agreed with Pimental that UMass Boston has been a great partner. She noted that when the memorial and the flags were vandalized a few years ago, UMass Boston stepped up to fund the repairs.
“We are really grateful for the support of UMass Boston over the years,” she noted.
In addition to UMass Boston, Pimental said, they owe a great deal to the Gold Star Families – those whose loved ones are memorialized on the granite stone marker after losing their lives in the war.
“They have done so much to help fund this,” he said. “We have no city, state, or federal funds. It’s all from the public; whatever people send us, and it takes about $10,000 a year to keep thing up.”
To contribute to the memorial, send checks or correspondence to Dorchester Vietnam Veterans Memorial; c/o Lisa Zinck; 10 Whitridge St.; Dorchester, MA 02124.
Vincent Morris, Ed Pimental, Richard Dobbyn, and Francis Cahill placed a memorial wreath in front of the Dorchester Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Monday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of its placement. Seth Daniel photos
Committee member Ed Pimental saluted as the 82 names on the Dorchester Vietnam Veterans Memorial were read off on Monday. Seth Daniel photo
Richard Dobbyn and Francis Cahill noted the names of those from Dorchester who died in Vietnam. Seth Daniel photo
UMass Boston Chief of Staff Peter Kelly, Phil Carver of UMass Boston, Francis Cahill, Ed Pimental, Vincent Morrison, Richard Dobbyn, UMass Boston facilities director Michael Kearns, and David Torrice and Brian Ward of UMass Boston Facilities. Seth Daniel photo
Copyright © 2026 Boston Neighborhood News, Inc. This content may not be re-published or re-used without written permission.
