PENNSVILLE, N.J. — The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall will be making its first-ever stop in Salem County in Pennsville’s Riverview Park later this month.
The wall is 3/5 scale of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington D.C., stands six feet tall at the center and is almost 300 feet from end to end.
“This Traveling Memorial stands as a reminder of the great sacrifices made during the Vietnam War. It was made for the purpose of helping heal and rekindle friendships and to allow people the opportunity to visit loved ones in their home town who otherwise may not be able to make the trip to Washington,” according to travelingwall.us.
A tribute to Vietnam War’s fallen soldiers will include a public ceremony on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 5 p.m. Guests can visit the memorial wall 24 hours a day through Sunday, Sept. 29.
“It has truly been a privilege to help realize this community initiative, Anthony Mulford, programs and communications chair for the Salem County Veterans Coalition said. “Sadly, all too often, I see that the cost of our way of living in this great nation of ours is taken for granted, the sacrifices of those who have made it possible forgotten with time.
“Hopefully, this event will provide an educational experience for those who come to visit and a newfound appreciation of those sacrifices realized,” Mulford continued. “We must never forget: Freedom is not free….”
Among the 58,320 names inscribed on the wall are 33 with connections to Salem County:
ATKINS, JOHN (ARMY)
BELL, LARRY GENE (NAVY)
BOWEN, LARRY HANSEN (MARINE CORPS)
CALLAN, GEORGE ALLAN (ARMY)
CHEEKS, JOHN HERBERT (MARINE CORPS)
COINER, CHARLES FREDRICK (MARINE CORPS)
COLES, ALEXANDER JR (NAVY)
FERGUSON, KEVIN LEE (MARINE CORPS)
FERRELLI, ROBERT THOMAS (MARINE CORPS)
GARRISON, RUSSELL G. (ARMY)
GEREAU, RICHARD NORMAN (ARMY)
HOCKNELL, HENRY ROBERT JR (MARINE CORPS)
HUGHES, TONY HOWARD (MARINE CORPS)
HUNTER, DONALD LEE (MARINE CORPS)
JENNINGS, MICHAEL (MARINE CORPS)
JONES, ROY MORGAN JR. (MARINE CORPS)
JONES, THOMAS HUBERT (ARMY)
KEELER, WILLIAM GILBERT (ARMY)
LAYTON, ROBERT ALLEN JR. (ARMY)
LEHEW, DONALD LEE (ARMY)
MCBRIDE, CLAUDE WILLIAM (ARMY)
MOORE, ROBERT JR. (ARMY)
RHOADES, FRANCIS STEVEN (MARINE CORPS)
ROGERS, THOMAS SAMUEL (ARMY)
SANCHEZ, VIDAL JR. (ARMY)
SCHAVELIN, HUGH ERNEST (MARINE CORPS)
SCOTT, WILLIAM ALEXANDER (ARMY)
THOMAS, ALTON JR. (MARINE CORPS)
THOMPSON, GERALD RONALD (ARMY)
VARNER, CHARLES ALFRED (ARMY)
WATSON, MARVIN LEROI (MARINE CORPS)
WETZEL, CHARLES ROBERT (MARINE CORPS)
WILEY, JAMES JOSEPH (MARINE CORPS)
Any disabled veteran residing in Salem County who wishes to visit the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall and needs transportation, please call 856-339-8644. Transportation will be available Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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