By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – A veterans group is encouraging all of those who have served in the military to welcome the American Veterans Traveling Tribute Vietnam Wall that will be in Bloomington Aug. 24-28. Honor, Respect, Remember is the name of the event.
Bob Krimmer, Region 4 Captain with the Illinois Patriot Guard Riders, is helping to bring veterans for the memorial wall’s entrance into Evergreen Memorial Cemetery on Aug. 24. The wall will be ready for viewing at noon on Aug. 25. There will be a candlelight remembrance at 8 p.m. on Aug. 27. Additional ceremonies will be held the 25th, 26th, and 27th. Closing ceremonies are scheduled for 2 p.m. on Aug. 28. Honor, Respect, and Remember is the name of the event.
“That generation, unfortunately as we lost more of them we want to try to make sure they realize we appreciate how much they have done for us,” Krimmer said.
The escort will begin at the Road Ranger off Interstate 39 in Minonk. Veterans are asked to line Lincoln street for the memorial wall’s arrival which is expected at about 4 p.m. according to cemetery manager Tina Crow.
The replica wall will be coming from Geneseo and will travel from Interstate 39 to northbound Interstate 55, south on Veterans Parkway, east onto Lincoln Street to the cemetery at 302 E. Miller St.
“There’s a lot of open territory to stand with the flag and welcome our Vietnam veterans home,” Krimmer said. “Give them the welcome home they’ve never really gotten.
He said the replica is 80 percent the size of the wall in Washington. It is 370 feet long and stands 8 feet at its apex. It contains all 53,253 names, as inscribed on the original wall.
From Bloomington, the memorial wall will be brought to Faribault, Minn. and then to Plano, Texas.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
