A Decade after the reburial of Fallen Vietnam War Patriot, Sp5 Wyley Wright Jr. and His Deeply Loved Wife, Ouida Fay Wright at Arlington National Cemetery, The Wright Family Will Celebrating "Love Separated in Life…Love Reunited in Honor." Ceremonies commemorating the correction of the injustice of Sp5 Wyley Wright Jr. being buried in a segregated cemetery for 50 years in his native Jacksonville, Florida will be held March 9, 2024.

SAN FRANCISCO - Jan. 1, 2024 - PRLog -- Posted Courtesy of Wright Enterprises Community Spotlight San Francisco ~ Dallas

It's now been sixty years since Sp5 Wyley Wright Jr. was laid to rest at the Mt. Olive Cemetery after dying, March 9, 1964, on a mission of Honor Guard for then Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, two weeks before his scheduled return from Vietnam to his much loved wife, Ouida Fay Wright and their four children, who were waiting in Phenix City, Alabama, near then Fort Benning, renamed Fort Moore, May 11, 2023.

Ten years ago, Sp5 Wright was reburied at Arlington National Cemetery with his wife, after his children, who were 10 years old; 8 years old; five years old and six-months old at the time of his death, discovered their father, who had given his life, the highest and best in the cause of freedom for the United States of America, had been buried in a deteriorating cemetery that was segregated.  The ceremony titled "Love Separated in Life…Love Reunited in Honor" was chronicled in several articles including the San Francisco BayView Newspaper titled "Love Story at Arlington."

The Wrights have once again invited the members and families of current and past soldiers of the 114^th Aviation Company of which Wright was a member to attend.  The group was asked to share the following notice to its members:

Sp5 Wyley Wright Jr. & Ouida F. Wright 10^th Anniversary Arlington Commemoration

The family of Sp5 Wyley Wright Jr., a fellow "Knight of the Air" who became a 32-year- old fallen patriot on March 9, 1964 in the helicopter crash of UH 1B 62-01961 that also claimed the life of 20-year-old PFC John Francis Shea as they served as honor guards for Vietnam-era Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, will commemorate the 2014 reburial of Sp5 Wyley Wright Jr. and his dearly loved wife Ouida Fay Wright at Arlington National Cemetery.  Details are being finalized.  Here's a link to the ceremony scheduled for March 9, 2024: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/love-reunited-10th-anniversary-tribute-to-sp5-wyley-ouida-wright-tickets-769829740477?aff=oddtdtcreator  For more information or to assist, contact Sp5 Wright's eldest child, Jackie Wright at lovereunited2014@gmail.com.  Special thanks to George Moll and Ginger Shannon Young who responded (https://www.prlog.org/12297667-families-of-fallen-viet-nam-heroes-lt-kenneth-shannon-sp5-wyley-wright-jr-remember-50-year-sacrifice.html) to the original request for members of the 114^th Aviation Company to attend March 10, 2014.

This year's tenth anniversary commemoration of the reburial will be dedicated to Sp5 Wyley Wright Jr. and Ouida Fay Wright's oldest son, U.S. Army Veteran and former Staff Sargent, Joe Nathan Wright (August 15, 1955-February 23, 2022)  and his wife of 38 years, Brenda Michelle Tibbs Wright (July 26, 1956-November 18, 2018), daughter of late U.S. Veteran, Bruce Tibbs Sr. and the late Doris Ward, a longtime federal employee.

Since the reburial of the Wrights at Arlington, during the 50^th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement and 150^th Anniversary of the creation of Arlington National Cemetery, a short documentary was developed about the original ceremony "Love Separated in Life…Love Reunited in Honor as described in a Florida Times Union Article: https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2020/02/25/documentary-chronicles-jacksonville-veteranrsquos-story/112241376/
and the website about the film "Love Separated in Life…Love Reunited in Honor," www.lovereunited.org.  Additionally, George Moll, who served with Sp5 Wyley Wright Jr. was honored by the Houston, Texas Mayor, Sylvester Turner: https://www.prlog.org/12846475-veterans-day-is-veterans-life-for-many-military-families.html.

"Originally, when we realized our father was in a segregated cemetery for fifty years, it became our mission to honor our father who gave all to this country having successfully completed over 300 missions in Vietnam and the recipient of honors such as the Air Medal, my siblings and I were determined to place him and our mother in hallowed ground worthy of his sacrifice and their love," said Jackie Wright, eldest of the four Wright Children.

"Commemorating their re-burial we titled "Love Separated in Life…Love Reunited in Honor" is not only a tribute to our parents, it is a tribute and honor to all military families that have lost loved ones to war," added Wright. "It reminds us to remember and cherish their sacrifices because our accomplishments are built on their dedication and service." Sp5 Wyley and Ouida Wright are buried near the intersection of York and Halsey, Section 59, grave 4977 at Arlington National Cemetery.  Sp5 Wyley Wright Jr. is listed on the Vietnam Memorial designed by Maya Lin, The Wall at Panel 1E, Line 46.

The remaining children of Sp5 Wyley Wright Jr. and Ouida Fay Wright, Jackie Wright resides in San Francisco; Stanley Wright in Orangeburg, South Carolina and Phyllis Cameron in Atlanta, Georgia.  The eldest son Joe Nathan Wright died in Grand Prairie, Texas after previously living in the San Francisco Bay Area and moving back to Columbus, Georgia, where he cared for both his wife declining in health after her retirement from CalTrans and his father-in-law, who he continued to care for after his wife's death in 2018.

For more information about the "Love Separated in Life…Love Reunited in Honor" Tenth Anniversary Commemoration, email Jackie Wright at lovereunited2014@gmail.com.  Visit https://www.lovereunited.org/ for details about the documentary.

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Background:

Military Honors Excerpt from

"Love Separated in Life…Love Reunited in Honor" Film TRT 1:11

https://youtu.be/jQT7nUoHqko

"Love Separated in Life…Love Reunited in Honor" Trailer TRT 1:37

https://youtu.be/9mgDPv012gQ

Love Story at Arlington National Cemetery

http://sfbayview.com/2015/04/love-story-at-arlington-national-cemetery/

Beyond Selma Black and White Military Families Bond for Honor

https://blacknews.com/news/beyond-selma-black-and-white-military-families-bond-for-honor-wyley-wright-jr/

Two Sisters Visit Vietnam to Search for Army Base Named After Fallen Hero Father

http://www.prlog.org/12461691-sisters-to-visit-vietnam-to-search-for-us-army-base-named-after-fallen-hero-father.html

Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association Members Meet Vietnam War Orphan, Daughter of Fallen Hero

https://www.prlog.org/12865042-vietnam-helicopter-pilots-association-members-meet-vietnam-war-orphan-daughter-of-fallen-hero.html