Organizers say more than 7,000 individuals participated in United Way of Northeastern Minnesota (UWNEMN)’s week-long tribute to local Vietnam veterans.
Approximately 800 people saw the Fabulous Armadillos perform “What’s Going On? Songs from the Vietnam Era” Monday at the Hibbing High School, more than 100 motorcycles and seven local law enforcement agencies escorted The Wall That Heals from Eveleth to Chisholm Tuesday, at least 200 individuals volunteered to build, staff, and deconstruct The Wall throughout the week, 300 people attended Saturday’s Honor Ceremony, and Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) staff recorded 5,910 visits to The Wall in Chisholm Thursday through Sunday.
VVMF, the founders of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and The Wall That Heals traveling exhibit, has staff that travels with The Wall throughout the nation each summer. Their staff relayed to local hosts, UWNEMN and its United for Veterans committee, that they were impressed by the Iron Range’s level of programming, number of volunteers, and turnout.
This level of engagement is thanks to a regional approach and subsequently, regional support, according to UWNEMN Executive Director Erin Shay.
“It was important to us when we brought The Wall to Chisholm that this was not just for us in Chisholm but was shared across our region,” Shay said Saturday at an honor ceremony at the Chisholm Armory. “The support we’ve received reflects that, and we are so lucky and grateful to have such a long list of supporters from communities across the Iron Range and beyond.”
Saturday’s honor ceremony included the Mid Range Honor Guard, Bois Forte Black Eagle Drum, local musicians, and 10 local Vietnam veterans who read the name, rank and branch, and hometown of 105 soldiers from Aitkin, Carlton, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, and St. Louis Counties whose names are on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.
American Legion Post 247 Commander Bill Hanegmon said he had “ultimate pride and respect” for those who volunteered to read the names of their fellow soldiers during the honor ceremony.
“It’s not an easy thing to do,” he said. “Anyone in combat knows it could be their name on The Wall.”
Keynote speaker Major John Plaster, a former Special Forces Green Beret veterans of three tours with MACV-SOG, the Vietnam War’s covert operations unit, said it takes a lot for Vietnam veterans just to see the names listed on The Wall. Names immediately jumped out to Plaster, he said, especially the names of those still considered missing in action, including Chisholm’s own, John Ryder.
Plaster gave advice to fellow veterans in the audience to dedicate their lives to those lost.
“I make it a point to honor them every year, continuously,” he said. “Every day, I think of at least one of them.”
In an invocation Saturday, American Legion Post 247 Chaplain Kent Fredeen noted The Wall honors those lost, their families and loved ones, and those who returned “with emotional scars we may not see.”
“We hope some degree of peace is found for all,” he said.
Throughout the week, UWNEMN staff and volunteers indeed heard stories from veterans and their loved ones of healing moments – relatives who felt they were able to spend time with family members they hadn’t seen in 50 years, veterans who shared stories they hadn’t shared before, and others who said they felt transported back to age 18 when standing at The Wall.
While organizers hope The Wall did bring healing to many, they recognized its potential to bring pain as well.
“We certainly tried our best to be sensitive and mindful of all the different feelings wrapped up in The Wall and relied heavily on our local Vietnam veterans to guide how we approached things,” said UWNEMN Community Impact Coordinator Michelle Lampton.
The Veterans Center was present at the Chisholm Football Field throughout the week to assist any veterans in need. Any veterans in crisis in any circumstance are also advised to call the free, confidential Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255) which is available 24/7.
Other local programming for The Wall That Heals included nightly Taps, an opening and closing ceremony, and a fly-over from the 934th Air Wing.