Vietnam-era vets to be honored June 5-9

3/22/2013

Organizers of a planned Vietnam Era Veterans Appreciation Event, which will be held June 5-9 in East Toledo’s International Park, are asking veterans who served during that period to register.

Event co-director Mark Peddicord, marketing manager at The Blade, said the event has been expanded to include all veterans from the era, including those who were stationed elsewhere in the world.

“The goal is to honor those veterans and give them the welcome they did not get,” Mr. Peddicord said.

The veterans will be honored during a slate of activities planned for the weekend.

For many, the highlight will be the return of the Moving Wall, a half-size reproduction of the Washington Vietnam Veterans Memorial that has been touring the nation for more than 20 years. The wall was last in Toledo in 2005 and will be on display at International Park downtown on June 6, event co-director Duke Wheeler said.

Events planned so far include: an honor motorcycle ride and salute, a veterans health clinic/expo and job fair, veteran forums, and a United Service Organization show. Most of the activities will be held at International Park. All events will be open to the public.

The tribute wall, which contains all 58,267 names of the fallen, will be on display in the afternoon. Vintage military vehicles and a helicopter from the Vietnam era will also be displayed.

Mr. Wheeler, who owns Whitehouse Christmas Tree Farm in Whitehouse, said details are at www.toledoveteransevent.com.