On Veteran’s Day war stories are expected. They are laced with horror, humor, courage, grief and often, modesty. “Thank you for your service,” is an automatic response. But when a fallen veteran’s sacrifice goes unnoticed, somebody has to step up.

Ballard High School graduate Douglas Zeller was killed during the Tết Offensive on March 19, 1968. Zeller was with the 19th Engineer Battalion and worked building and maintaining roads and bridges throughout Vietnam. He died during an attack at age 21.

But his name was missing from the war memorial in the entryway of Ballard High School.

Enter Jerry Smith, Vietnam vet and author who discovered after doing some research that after 48 years, Zeller still deserved to be honored.

Ballard High School veterans and family members gathered yesterday to honor the addition of Douglas Zeller to the Vietnam War Memorial plaque.

Zeller is the 19th Vietnam War veteran and BHS graduate who was killed during the war to be added to the memorial. Smith was doing research for a book dedicated to telling the stories of the then known 18 veterans on the plaque. While speaking with the family of one of the fallen soldiers, Smith was asked if Zeller was on the plaque. Smith noticed that he wasn’t and went to work.

“I felt I had an obligation to these guys to tell their stories,” said Smith. … I promised them that I would do some additional research on Doug Zeller and find out what had happened to him.”

Jerry Smith honoring Doug Zeller during the ceremony. Richard and Chris (left) were asked to stand while Smith shared Doug Zeller's story.

The Tết Offensive started on January 30, 1968, which is the Vietnamese New Year. It is known as one of the largest campaigns of the war and was comprised of a series of surprise attacks by the North Vietnamese on the South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam and the U.S. forces.

The memorial was put together in 1967 and since Zeller died a year later, he was somehow excluded from it by mistake.

The ceremony to add Zeller’s name was held at the site of the memorial where other war memorials are honored in the school, including the Korean War. Names and some faces hang on the walls where young students pass by every day. The crowd at the ceremony was sparse, but hearts were full as Principle Keven Wynkoop opened the ceremony.

“I think that a ceremony like this is extremely important for us to be doing right now, in a city like this, in a time like this, in a nation like this that is truly divided,“ said Wynkoop.

Wynkoop helped Smith when he first started his research for the book. Smith called the high school and asked Principal Keven Wynkoop for a list of names, and he received a photograph of the 18 names of the memorial.

“It’s important that we have reminders…for the dedication of servicemen, the veterans that have given up so much, that have given so freely of themselves, even to the point of giving their lives, so we can have disagreements, so that we can have conversations that don’t always end with happiness; so that we can be in a country like America that for all our troubles, all our mistakes, still allows each of us to be ourselves.”

In addition, Wynkoop revealed that he was as third generation Ballard High School graduate and that his relative was one of the Ballard 19 on the Vietnam War Memorial plaque.

Smith himself graduated from Ballard High School in June of 1966 and volunteered for the army in December of 1966. Then in March of 1969 through March of 1970 Smith worked in Flight Operations for the 16th Combat Aviation Group, Americal Division at the Chu Lai Marine base.

To honor each of the veterans, Smith shared images via projector with the group. From his research on what he now calls The Ballard 19 he added details about their lives, their age and where they died.

“The book is an explanation about what each individual accomplished and what went on in their life from childhood until their loss,” Smith told the Ballard News-Tribune.

Ballard High School senior and Associated Student Body President, Julia Jackson, moderated the ceremony. She said that it was difficult to imagine going to war at such a young age.

“As an 18-year-old myself it’s crazy to think that they lost their lives at such a young age serving their country,” said Jackson.

Richard Zeller, brother of Douglas Zeller, and wife, Chris, attended the ceremony. Zeller was a main speaker and shared how he was one of four brothers who graduated from Ballard High School and went on to serve in the military during the war. Douglas was the youngest of the four boys.

“Dougie was unfortunately the only one of us who didn't come back,” said Zeller.

“Doug was just beginning his life and he had big dreams. I’ve visited his resting place many times and have thought about what kind of man he would be today. What would he think about today’s world? The career he would have? Family? And what would he think of me and the other Zeller boys?”

Richard and Chris Zeller (left) with Jerry Smith holding the BHS Vietnam War Memorial plaque.

Richard Zeller joined the military while Doug was still young and toured for several years while Doug was finishing high school. Zeller was stationed mostly in the U.S.

Zeller also said that he was unaware that his brother was not on the memorial, but was very pleased when Smith shared that he was working toward adding Doug’s name to the memorial.

“He (Doug) will continue to be remembered as a good man who would stand up for you. He was absolutely wonderful. … I have no doubt that he lost his life courageously doing the job that he was doing in service of his country. Dougie was not the type of person to back off. If there were a problem he would be right upfront – That’s the way he was with us and in his life.”

Zeller shared that his brother was the type of man to see things to the end. He said he was good man who did the right thing.

In closing Zeller thanked Smith for precipitating the research that led to Doug’s name being added to the memorial.

“We missed Doug and will forever remember him with great admiration and love. We frequently visited his resting place – it’s just so sorrowful to me when I look around that cemetery and see all the other folks who died in Vietnam and other wars. It’s sorrowful. … We love Doug and respect him. I know he’s happy in heaven – which we believed, all four of us.”