Tri-State Vietnam Memorial Wall
Thank You Fargo Air Museum!
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Tri-State Vietnam Memorial Wall Thank You Fargo Air Museum! |
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Vietnam Week - April 30 - May 8, 2005 Contact the Fargo Air Museum at (701)293-8043 for information on how to bring the wall to your community and where and when it is scheduled to be on display.
Click on Photo's for a Larger View |
The Tri-State Vietnam Memorial Wall is a unique rendition of the Vietnam
Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. This wall lists 198 ND, 195 SD and 1072 MN
soldiers who sacrificed their lives. Although much of the public believed
American involvement in the Vietnam crisis to be unnecessary, these young
men followed the call to arms and served their country with honor. This wall
contains 1465 names of the 58,226 U.S. soldiers who lost their lives
throughout the war spanning 1959-1975. The Tri-State Vietnam Memorial Wall
is a lasting tribute to the 1465 soldiers from our area that fought and died
to uphold the freedom on which our country was founded. Their names are
listed by the soldier's hometown, name, rank and branch of service. May they
rest in peace in our hearts and in our prayers.
Since it's unveiling in the early 1980s, the original Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. is the most attended memorial in our nation's capitol. It boasts almost a 2-1 margin over all other memorials in yearly attendance. A traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall does exist, listing all of the soldiers lost in the war, however, a lengthy waiting list and heavy costs prohibited the Air Museum from having it in Fargo for Vietnam Week (May 3-11, 2003). The Tri-State Vietnam Memorial Wall was the idea of Air Museum Volunteer, Doug Anderson of Fargo, ND. Doug and Gerry Beck of Wahpeton, ND, designed and drew up the plans. With the help of Tim McPherson of Page, ND, they fabricated and welded the panels at Gerry's airplane restoration shop. Many Vietnam Veterans and museum volunteers donated countless hours to this project. The Wall is made of thin aluminum, formed and welded together and filled with Styrofoam insulation. The panels were powder-coated for durability and mounted on a wooden base. Dave Marchus of Accent Signs, worked tirelessly for three long days installing each of the names in order to present the Wall at the opening of Vietnam Week. To date, $18,000 has been raised, primarily through $100 donations from businesses, organizations, clubs and generous individuals. Donors' names will be permanently displayed with the Wall. Total cost of this project is expected to reach $25,000, which will include a trailer to safely transport the wall to various sites in the area. As the Wall's sponsor, the Fargo Air Museum hopes that this memorial to our brave soldiers lost in Vietnam will be displayed throughout the tri-state area demonstrating our lasting gratitude for their ultimate sacrifice and that you enjoy this well-deserved and long overdue memorial. |
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Go to Veteran's Memorial Page
Go to www.tristateveterans.com Home Page
