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Site No. 38: Corporal Robert White / Vietnam Memorial
This spot has been an informal war memorial since World War I, after the town received a surplus cannon from a naval ship. At the outbreak of World War II, that cannon was donated to the scrap metal campaign. After the Second World War, the Army gave the town two cannons—this one and the one at Riverside Cemetery.
On August 17, 1967 Corporal Robert Frederick White, age 27, died in combat. He was Newmarket’s only Vietnam War fatality.
“Bob”—as every called him— attended St. Mary School and Newmarket High School. He was also a volunteer with the Newmarket Fire Department.
After his high school graduation, Bob enlisted in the US Marine Corps. He served for eight years and was posted to Vietnam three times. He was wounded in combat during his second tour of duty. It was during his third tour of duty that he gave his life. He was survived by his wife and young daughter.
In 2010 the Newmarket Veterans Memorial Trust Committee dedicated this spot as a memorial to Corporal White. As such it also pays tribute to all of those from Newmarket who served during the Vietnam War Era, which lasted from 1961 until 1975. While Corporal White was Newmarket’s only casualty, many others were wounded. And others have continued to suffer for years afterward —from PTSD or from exposure to substances such as Agent Orange. The online listing names at least 80 who served in the military during that time, and it is by no means complete.
The Veterans Memorial Trust Committee continues its work to honor the veterans of all the conflicts since World War I—World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf Wars and Afghanistan.
Continue a bit further up North Main Street to Sanborn Avenue. Site No. 39 is just across the street at Great Bay Dental.
END OF AUDIO TEXT. See below for photos and more information.
During WW I, the Boy Scouts and the Sea Scouts made this site a “Patriot’s Park” by installing a flag pole and made this a rallying spot prior to military style drills, and blackout patrols.
This Durhamside spot has been a war memorial since WW I when the US government gave the town a surplus anti-aircraft cannon from a naval ship. At that time there was a stipulation, that if needed, it would be returned. The American Legion maintained it and voted to turn it back to the US government as scrap during the outbreak of WW II as part of the US Government’s scrap metal campaign.
(photo: 1937 Genevieve Haley)
At the end of WW II, the US Army donated two Army cannons to the town for a memorial display. One was placed at this site and the other was placed at Riverside Cemetery. They are both carriage cannons manufactured by the Harvester Corporation in 1942. This cannon was a popular photo family photo-op
The cannon at this Northside site went missing for a short periord of time in the early 1950s. It was “borrowed” by a group of UNH stidents and placed on campus facing Thompson Hall. The Durham Police returned the cannon pulled by a jeep.
During the Vietnam War Newmarket’s only causuality was that of Robert White.
The son of Kenneth and Alice White of Elm Street, “Bob” as every called him, was a volunteer with the Newmarket Fire Department and a former foreman of the Tiger Number 1 Handtub Association. He graduated from St. Mary’s and Newmarket High School.
He enlisted in the US Marines after getting his diploma from Newmarket High School in 1959. This was his third trip to Vietnam with his eight years of service in the US Marine Corps. Wounded in combat during his second tour of duty, he recovered and was redeployed.
He was survived by his wife, Mrs. Frances (Cambell) White of Eastover, S.C. and a young daughter, Carol White.
A High Requiem Memorial Mass was held at St. Mary’s Church with a military honor guard. He is buried in Greenlawn Memorial Cemetery, Columbia, South Carolina.
