The Freedom Tree – marked by a stone memorial and plaque – was planted on the library grounds in honor of Captain John Everett Duffy and all prisoners of war and missing in action. The memorial was organized by the Jaycee Wives and dedicated on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28, 1973.
Captain John Everett Duffy was a Portland native who was declared Missing in Action in Vietnam on April 4, 1970.
Captain Duffy was declared deceased in 1978.
In 1993, a crash site was identified in Vietnam and, on February 12, 1996, Captain Duffy’s remains were identified.
Captain Duffy was interred at Arlington National Cemetery on October 18, 1996.
