They’re the kind of guys who get nicknames, with each name having around three different explanations as to how they came about. Figuring out which explanation is the truth requires deciphering the smiles, winks and gentle elbows to ribs.

This group of veterans hails from Port Richmond. They grew up during, and in some ways because of, the Vietnam War. Last year an old friend, Jerry “Rock” McGovern, passed away. After the funeral, a few of them discussed the need to commemorate the vast number of Port Richmond men and women who served during that divisive conflict.

“From our corner, it was 30 [people],” over the course of the conflict, explains Art Marquess, who served in the U.S. Army. The corner he refers to is Ann and Memphis streets. “It was about eight of us at one [particular] time.”

Marquess had an idea. The vets, along with some supporters, meet every two weeks to plan a tribute. The memorial, which will take the form of a stone marker placed in Campbell Square Park in November, is not intended to just be for their friend, but rather for everyone from the area who served in the armed forces during the years around the Vietnam War or “about 1960 to 1975,” according to Mike “Stoney” Walsh.  

“Our crowd mainly served from ’66 to ’72,” added Marquess. “But this is for anybody who put on a uniform, whether they served in Germany or Korea… Thailand… anywhere.”

The group is informal to say the least. They don’t even agree on their official name. “Port Richmond Vietnam Era Memorial Fund,” said one. “No, Port Richmond Vietnam Memorial Vet Committee,” said another. A small, friendly squabble ensued re-ordering the words a bit and then just breaking out in to laughter. Bob “Pesty” Myers starts poking fun at the other guy’s name suggestions.

“Don’t listen to Pesty!” Marquess said.

The group set up on an outdoor deck on an ordinary set of patio furniture at the Juniata Golf Course after the club donated the time and space to them. A couple cans of light beer, a few cigarettes and a bottled-water or two held down the printouts of the evening’s agenda against the summer breeze. Eight members attended this particular evening’s meeting, two women, both named Nancy, and six men, three of which served in Vietnam. Of the other three, one wasn’t even born until after the war ended.

No one is really in charge. Walsh assumes an executive presence by going through the agenda but said that’s only because, “I’m the guy that comes with the pen.” There are “no titles … we’re just an ad hoc organization,” he added. He kept things moving as there were no lights on the deck and sun was setting.

The meetings are scheduled with phone calls. “When I talk to [another veteran, Gregg Flaherty] on the phone, he bad-mouths Stoney, and his wife is hollering in the background, ‘Don’t you talk about him like that!’” Marquess said.

“What’s the change from 2nd grade?” asked Stoney.

“Exactly!” answered Marquess.

Puri Garzone III, 35, sits in on the meetings and unofficially represents the future Port Richmond residents who will see the monument once it’s completed and reflect on what it means. As the vets debate the inclusion of a date on the monument’s inscription, Garzone points out that he would wonder “what the date actually means.” What was the significance? The group agrees that it is vague and reconsiders the plan.

He also is part owner of several Center City bars and knows how to avoid the pitfalls that come with running large fundraisers. He helps the group with logistics, which they’ve needed after the plans for a memorial escalated rather quickly.

The original plan was to put a plaque on the wall of the Jones School (now known as Memphis Street Academy) near Ann and Memphis streets, where the core group grew up. But as the idea spread it outgrew that spot.

“I just thought me, Stoney, Pesty and [Flaherty] would each kick in 50 bucks for a plaque,” Marquess said.    

Managing thousands of dollars in donations, multiple events, and dedicating a memorial that will last for generations was far beyond the imagination of Marquess when he came up with the idea.

“When we started talking about it people just started jumping in,” Marquess said.

While the group mainly consists of carpenters, paperhangers, bartenders and dock builders, they also know how to get the attention of area’s “movers and shakers.”

“The local unions have been unbelievable,” said Marquess. So have certain politicians like David Oh and John Taylor. Marquess gave the credit to Pesty.

“You wonder how he got his name?” laughs Marquess. “He knows everybody too. If you ever drove down Aramingo Avenue and stopped, Pesty probably knows you.”

But Pesty, who is also responsible for bringing his nephew Garzone into the fold, waves off any attention.

“The people helped because they wanted to help,” Pesty explained. “One thing they all got in common, the vets, is they all want to help everybody. That’s just the way it is.”

Between the unions, politicians, local bars, supportive businesses and other veterans associations, fundraising jumped from the anticipated $50 that each vet would contribute to what has amounted to more than 50 pages worth of ads in a booklet. The group initially planned for sponsor and donation info to appear in a small, fold-over pamphlet to hand out at fundraisers but it has grown into something that would be the size of “the Manhattan phone book,” jokes Marquess.

Pesty is hardly alone in deflecting credit. When the question of where to put the staff’s names in the booklet came up the table went silent. After a few shoulder shrugs they started making sure that wherever it goes that all of the other people that helped were included on the list.

Even for this article, Pesty said, “Nah, you don’t need my name in there.” He’d rather The Spirit publish the names of some of guys who didn’t make this particular meeting. “Get Jerry Hesson in there… Oh, yeah, and Louie Lupo! Get him in there too.” The list went on and on.

Marquess said the outside support is humbling. He wasn’t even sure his own family would be into it. “I put it out to my family and I think, ‘Okay, nobody’s gonna come to a beef and beer,’ you know?” After a pause with a deep breath, he continued, “I got 18 people coming from my family. [They said] ‘Well, this is really important to Art.’” And after another breath, “Pretty neat,” he said.

Other committee members shared similar experiences.

The group has enough money committed to pay for the tribute stone itself but they need more to cover future maintenance costs.

Marquess hopes a beef and beer in October at Juniata Golf Course will bring in the much-needed funds. Tickets are still available but Marquess said gift baskets could bring in even more money. All donations are welcome.

If you want to donate or help, email him at Carolmarquess@verizon.net or call him at 215-840-6069.

As the meeting ended due to darkness, Nancy Hart said she’s just looking forward to a great event. “It’ll be a reunion of the neighborhood.”

“Bottom line, [It’s a] family, neighborhood get together, which everybody’s gonna enjoy,” Pesty added.

It’s probably okay to listen to Pesty on this one.