Traveling replica of Vietnam Veterans Memorial will be open in Ashland County next weekend
ASHLAND − A 360-foot-long replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial will visit Richland and Ashland counties next weekend to honor local military men and women.
The American Veterans Traveling Tribute will be on display at the Ashland County Airport from Aug. 3-6, according to Tim Chandler, coordinator of the Ashland County Veterans Appreciation Day.
"This is the 10th annual Veterans Appreciation Day," Chandler said. "Every year, they do something special for the veterans. This being the 10th year, they wanted to try and do it a little special."
The group decided there would be no better way to honor the veterans than by bringing them a piece of national history.
'It has every name on it that they have in D.C.'
Chandler, who retired as a master sergeant from the Air Force while with the 179th Airlift Wing, called around to learn as much as he could about the traveling memorial wall.
"There's actually four different organizations that have the Vietnam Wall," he said.
The group settled on the American Veterans Traveling Tribute, a replica that is 80% of the size of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The display is 360 feet long and stands 8 feet high at its apex.
"It has every name on it that they have in D.C.," Chandler said. "So it's for veterans that can't get to D.C. They get a chance to actually visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial."
The display also will include markers displaying information about "every conflict that the states have been in" from World War I to Afghanistan.
"It's really a nice layout," Chandler said. "We're just trying to get the word out so veterans and families can come see it."
'The wall's open for viewing 24/7'
The memorial wall's convoy will drive to the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield sometime either Aug. 1 or Aug. 2 where it will await a local escort.
"We'll meet him there and then we escort him out to the airport," Chandler said.
The motorcade will rest at the Ashland County Airport, 700 Township Road 1102 in Ashland, overnight.
On Aug. 3 at 9 a.m., "we'll start setting the wall up," Chandler said.
The large panels are expected to be arranged and fastened in place by lunchtime.
"At 5 o'clock in the evening on Aug 3rd is our opening ceremony," Chandler said. "And then the wall's open for viewing 24/7."
'A big day for vets and their families'
Ashland County Veterans Appreciation Day is Saturday, Aug. 5.
"It starts at 11 a.m. and goes through until dark when they have the fireworks," Chandler said. "Usually they have some static display: airplanes, helicopters and other vehicles."
Local veterans are invited to gather at noon Aug. 5 for a photo and a complimentary cookout.
Food vendors will be set up all day at the airport for the myriad guests and veterans who visit the festival.
Bands will play all afternoon and evening until the fireworks are launched at about 9:30 p.m.
"The mayor of Ashland is going to do a proclamation and (U.S. Rep.) Jim Jordan is supposed to show up and do a proclamation," Chandler said. "It's just a big day for vets and their families to come on out and have some fun."
The memorial wall will remain open until 3 p.m. Aug. 6 when veterans will gather to say their goodbyes.
"They'll have a closing ceremony," Chandler said. "There will be a flag folding and all that."
ztuggle@gannett.com
419-564-3508
Twitter: @zachtuggle
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Replica of Vietnam Veterans Memorial in D.C. coming to Ashland County
