Vietnam War memorial to be on display in Parkersburg
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PARKERSBURG -- A traveling Vietnam War memorial wall will be on display during the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans program March 28-29 at the West Virginia National Guard Armory on Blizzard Drive.
Sponsored by Vietnam veteran Jerry Smith and Housecalls Hospice, the traveling memorial from the Mobile Wall West Virginia State Council travels throughout West Virginia in honor of Vietnam War veterans.
The event in Parkersburg is called Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans, Sherry Thompson of Housecalls Hospice said.
"I'm really excited about it," Smith said.
The wall displays the names of West Virginians who were killed in action, held as prisoners of war and still missing in action in the Vietnam War. More than 700 West Virginians are on the display.
A second memorial, separate from the mobile wall, of servicemen killed in conflicts from 1975 to 2019 also will be on display, Smith said.
Hours are 1 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 29.
The Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans program will be held beginning 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Smith said. The program, which will be emceed by Bryan Knight, an Air Force chaplain, will include music from the West Virginia Army National Guard band, Smith said.
Dennis Davis, secretary of the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance, will speak on Sunday, Smith said.
Saturday's activities will include Larry "Mad Max" Maxwell and members of local Gold Star Monument families, Smith said. Plan B, a local rock and roll band, will perform for four hours on Saturday, from 2-6 p.m., and there will be a gun salute by the American Legion, he said.
The wall will be inside of the armory, Thompson said. The weather is too unpredictable this time of year, she said.
All events are free and open to everyone.
A private viewing of the wall will be held for veterans, which could be an emotional time for the former servicemen, from 10 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, Smith said.
The mobile wall will arrive at the armory in Parkersburg around 2 p.m. Friday, March 27, Smith said. It will be escorted from Mineral Wells to the armory by the West Virginia chapter of the Patriot Guard, he said.
Volunteers will erect the wall on Friday, he said.
During both days of the event, local veterans groups and organizations, such as the DAV, will have exhibits where information about benefits and programs for veterans will be available, Smith said. The DAV in Murphytown is holding the Veterans Helping Veterans benefits seminar from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, he said.
Guides will be available to help people find names on the wall, Smith said. Concessions will be available while the mobile wall is on display, Smith said.
Jess Mancini can be reached at jmancini@newsandsentinel.com.