Traveling Vietnam Memorial Arrives in Albany: 'There are a lot of names on that wall'
By Laura Rillos KVAL NewsALBANY, Ore.--Some came from Washington, others from Oregon. The motorcycle riders made up a crowd of bikes, more than 200 strong, to escort a replica of the Vietnam Wall from Bellingham Washington to Timber-Linn Memorial Park in Albany. "I've done this many times. It's an honor," said Lynn Morett, a veteran. The Vancouver, Washington resident choked up as talked about the ride. "If you're a veteran, it's really... There are a lot of names on that wall." Just like the memorial in Washington D.C., the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Traveling Wall will bear the names of the more than 58,000 Americans who lost their lives in the war. The replica will be 400 feet long, 3/4 the size of the Washington D.C. monument. A crowd of people waving American flags lined Price Road to the park entrance--a very different reaction than the one many Vietnam veterans received when they returned from combat. "When I came back, there was a lot of negative protesting," said Ignacio Saenz, who fought during one year of the Vietnam War. "I just ignored it because it's useless energy to get angry." Talk at the park quickly turned to the new era of veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Saenz and other veterans stressed the importance of supporting the men and women as they return to Oregon. "They will never be the same for them, because you learn a lifetime of different things while you're out there," said Saenz. "It's just trying to make it easy for them and welcome them." The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Traveling Wall will be in Albany until Sunday, July 19. It will be open to the public for 24 hours a day. Other planned activities include Oregon Honorable Service Medal ceremonies and a display of 1,000 flags in tribute to Oregon veterans. |
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