A replica of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. will be in Chillicothe next week.
The display and a mobile education center will be set up at the Chillicothe High School athletic practice field from August 2nd, 2:00 PM, to August 6th, 2:00 PM. They will be open 24 hours a day.
Chillicothe VFW Post 858 Quartermaster, Rick Liebendorfer, is on the Wall That Heals Committee and says “The Wall That Heals” is a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam War Memorial.
The display contains more than 58,000 names of service members killed in action during the Vietnam War.
Visitors are expected from around the country and can stay as long as they would like at the memorial.
The Wall That Heals will have an escort to Chillicothe the day before it will be open for viewing. Experienced motorcycle riders can meet at the Shell truck stop in Cameron on August 1st, starting at 11:30 AM and there will be a safety briefing and information session.
The escort will leave at 1:00 PM.
The escort’s estimated arrival time in Chillicothe is 1:45 PM. The honor parade will be on August 1st from 1:45 PM to 2:00 PM.
A welcome-home ceremony will be on August 3rd at 9:00 AM.
There will also be a wreath-laying ceremony on August 4th at 11:00 AM. That ceremony will include a flyover from the Whiteman Air Force Base.
A closing ceremony will be on August 6th at 1:45 PM before the memorial is dismantled and heads to its next stop.
Taps will be played from August 2nd through 5th at 8:45 PM each night.
Volunteers can help set up the wall at the Chillicothe High School athletic practice field on August 2nd at 8:30 AM. Liebendorfer notes volunteers should have the ability to carry objects up to 50 pounds.
A training session will be held on August 2nd at 6:00 PM and volunteers are encouraged to attend, but it is not mandatory.
Motorcycle riders wanting to participate in the escort on August 1st should contact Ride Captain Don Harris at 816-674-1227. Volunteers wanting to assist with set up can visit the Livingston County Veterans Association website to sign up, or they can show up the morning of August 2nd.
Guided tours of The Wall That Heals are available for groups of 10 or more while it is in Chillicothe from August 2nd through 6th. Schedule a tour by calling 660-240-0753.
