I recently visited the American Veterans Traveling Tribute during its stop at Anderson-Dean Park in Harrodsburg, Ky. The tribute honors all who gave their lives serving in the U.S. military, beginning with the Revolutionary War.
The centerpiece is "The Wall," a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. There are 58,272 names inscribed -- listed in chronological order and time of the casualty within each day.
I had two classmates die in Vietnam -- James Huckleberry in 1967 and Marshall Jones in 1970. Both would have turned 65 this year.
The memorial is a somber place. Some families in the Harrodsburg area planted small flags, a few with photographs, of the loved ones who died on that foreign soil. They served as a reminders that there were faces behind the names and that many lives were adversely and tragically touched by the unpopular war.
There were exhibits from Vietnam -- artillery, helicopters, jeeps, photographs, weapons, cots, c-rations, and more.
If you ever get the opportunity to see the AVTT, I would encourage you to do so. It might give you a deeper appreciation for the ultimate sacrifices many made for our nation.
And it may even bring you to tears.
For more information, click AVTT.
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