Traveling Wall exhibit features war artifacts

Welcome home. Two words that most of us take for granted, but for thousands of servicemen and women who served in the Vietnam War, these two words sometimes bring tears.

Last Saturday, Aug. 20, Amvets Post 67 in Clay City hosted the Traveling Wall exhibit—a miniature version of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC. In addition, an exhibit called Through the Eyes was on site featuring four tents filled with thousands of artifacts used by soldiers on both sides of the conflict, pictures and weapons.

The Wall is made up by many black panels with the names of the 58,307 U.S. service personnel who lost their lives between 1959 and 1975. Each name is etched in white and catalogued by panel number, which is archived in a manual on site.

Two soldiers from Bath County are listed on The Wall—Henry Rogers from Owingsville and Robert Gary Staton Jr. from Salt Lick. Staff Sergeant Larry Gene Kier, whose remains were found and identified after being listed missing in action, is also etched on a panel whose final resting place is in Owingsville Cemetery.

Several special guest speakers were on hand at the welcome home rally, including Congressman Andy Barr, State Rep. David Hale and Heather French Henry, who is commissioner of the Kentucky Veterans Affairs.

Congressman Barr has been a sounding voice for veterans since he was elected and spearheads the Kentucky Veterans Coalition, which is comprised of veterans who provide direct feedback regarding issues they may face within the Veterans Affairs system.

Heather French Henry gave an emotional testimony about her father, a Vietnam veteran, as he helped with the Traveling Wall display. She told how her father lost thirty fellow soldiers during a battle and as he was taking down the panels of the Wall exhibit, he insisted on carrying the panel with his comrade’s names on it so he could “bring them home finally”.

Danny ‘Greasy’ Belcher, a native of Preston, is the commander of Task Force Omega and a strong advocate for veterans of all wars. Belcher, a Vietnam veteran, gave a passionate speech about how the nation needs to rally behind the veterans and those still serving. The most entertaining part of his speech was a recollection of how members from the Westboro Baptist Church came to disrupt a soldier’s funeral and were promptly turned away by members of the Patriot Guard; allegedly with a sore spot on at least one protestor’s heads.

Following the guest speakers, local music artist Branden Martin and his band Sourmash entertained those who braved the constant rain showers Saturday afternoon.

A candlelight vigil later in the evening marked the close of the Traveling Wall exhibit until the next rally weekend. It is truly a moving and emotional experience for anyone to see, especially for the service members who could finally be welcomed home.