The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
THE MOVING WALL MAKES ITS ARRIVAL
Vietnam Wall replica put on display at Perry High School
Vietnam Combat Veterans Memorial — The Moving Wall, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., was escorted to Perry High School Sept. 21, where it will remain on display through Sept. 24.
Much of the Moving Wall was put in place on Sept. 20. The remaining panels arrived via a funeral procession consisting of the truck carrying the panels, about 200 people riding an estimated 100 motorcycles and law enforcement officials from Wickliffe, Willoughby and Eastlake on motorcycles. In addition, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Perry and Mentor police departments participated in the motorcade with SUVs and Perry Joint Fire District provided a fire/rescue squad.
Many of those riding were veterans, friends or family of
veterans or belong to a motorcycle group such as Rolling Thunder, Christ’s Crusaders, the Gray Riders, and the Blue Knights.
The procession started at LaMalfa Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 5783 Heisley Road in Mentor, and proceeded onto Route 20 to Perry High School at 1 Success Blvd.
The procession arrived at its destination to a salute from veterans present as it passed under a flag draped from the ladder of a fire truck.
Purple Heart recipients and combat war veterans gathered at the truck to place the last remaining panels. Several Perry High School students were released from class for a period to view the Moving Wall and several were asked to helped place the last two panels.
Joseph Wills, a sophomore, felt that helping with the panels was a real honor, especially since both of his parents served in the military.
“I think it’s great I was able to help out,” he said.
Students were given the option after a short presentation to stay and view the Moving Wall or return to class. The majority of the students opted to stay to view the Moving Wall and talk with the veterans present.
Perry Assistant Principal Scott Niedzwiecki, who helped bring the Vietnam Combat Veterans Memorial — The Moving Wall to the school, hopes the students gain some appreciation from viewing the Moving Wall.
“They learn about the wars in some of their history classes and things like that, but, to see all the veterans come back to see all the names on the wall and gain some appreciation for the sacrifice that our servicemen and women go through all the time,” he said.
Gavin Tannish, along with Michela Decapua, both sophomores, and Kyle Morgan, freshman, buffed and polished fingerprints off the Moving Wall.
“It’s incredible, and it’s an honor to have it here,” Gavin said. “It’s something set in stone memorializing the names of a large amount of people who gave their lives for our freedom.”
Michela described the Moving Wall as breathtaking, and echoed Gavin’s thoughts about the soldiers who gave their lives.
Kyle saw the Moving Wall as something to give him another reason to respect the veterans who not only served in Vietnam, but other wars as well.
The decision to bring the Vietnam Combat Veterans Memorial — The Moving Wall to Perry High School originated two years ago with a vision Arnold Stanko, chairman of the Perry Moving Wall Committee, shared with Niedzwiecki and Dan Frazier.
About 30 coordinators, numerous volunteers, businesses, students, and state and regional government entities worked to make the vision a realty.
Stanko, a Vietnam veteran, describes how he followed in his older brother Michael’s footsteps and joined the Marines.
He tells about how he and many other Vietnam veterans were treated when they returned home from service.
“Friends I thought were friends from school, they weren’t my friends, I was wrong,” he said. “We were nothing what they said we were, the other guys and all the guys on the wall, but that’s OK. We are here and we are honoring our fallen comrades.”
Stanko’s daughter and son both graduated from Perry. His daughter joined the Marines, his son joined the Army.
Stanko said he told Niedzwiecki that he wanted to bring the Moving Wall to the school for the students to experience it because he knew how it was and what it meant.
He described the experience as a once in a lifetime moment for the students, saying they will probably never get the chance to touch the panels of the Moving Wall like that again with Purple Heart recipients.
He also says he wanted the Moving Wall brought to Perry as a way to give something back.
Kim Chen and her husband Paul are the caretakers of the Moving Wall, which has been around since 1984. They have been driving it from state to state for 34 years to share the experience of it.
“It’s extremely humbling to be able to share it with other people,” she said. “If you reach one person, one veteran who it’s a healing for him or her or a family member, it touches your heart and so you hope that maybe if they haven’t been able to heal, this may be a beginning for them,” she said.
In addition to the Moving Wall, there is a memorial paying tribute to Lake County’s 56 fallen heroes, including one MIA (Missing in Action): Felding W. Featherston III, formerly of Wickliffe, who was declared dead in 1974. There will be many ceremonies and speakers at the Moving Wall, which started with a wreath presentation at 5 p.m. Sept. 21 followed by the honoring of Lake County residents whose names are on the wall.
For a complete list of ceremonies, speakers and presentations along with dates and times, see www.perry-lake.org/ Downloads/Wall%20 Agenda4.pdf.