Moving experiences at The Moving Wall
CROSBY - Thursday was an emotional day for Jim Blanich.
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Blanich, a Deerwood native who now lives in Minneapolis, was one of the hundreds who went to Crosby Memorial Park on Serpent Lake for the opening ceremony of The Moving Wall, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington.
Color guards from Ironton and Deerwood American Legion posts were reflected Thursday in The Moving Wall at Crosby Memorial Park.
Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
Blanich served two tours in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot in the Marine Corps. Several of the names on the wall - 58,000 soldiers who lost their lives or are missing in action in Vietnam - were his friends.
"The best part of all is everybody says, 'Thank you,' now," Blanich said, tears in his eyes as recalled stories of the war while standing at The Moving Wall with his mother, Ruth, and wife, Joan. "That's because of these kids, these kids serving in Iraq today."
The Moving Wall, owned by Vietnam Combat Veterans Ltd., has traveled across the country since 1984 to give people a chance to view a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. Before Crosby it was in Hamburg, Mich. After Crosby it will be in Seneca, Mo.
Karen Vukonich helped her grandson, Ethan Vukonich, rub the name of a family friend who was killed in the Vietnam War onto a piece of paper from The Moving Wall Thursday in Crosby Memorial Park.
Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
In Crosby Memorial Park, the wall stretches across a ball field, framed by tall trees and with Serpent Lake as a backdrop. The description of the setting given by organizers Thursday was "serene."
Joe Thatcher of Crosby has seen The Moving Wall four times, once serving as a volunteer while in the Navy Reserve in Sioux Falls, S.D. On Thursday, and until The Moving Wall leaves Crosby Monday, Thatcher again will be volunteering his time at the wall.
The American Legion posts from Ironton and Deerwood stood at attention during the opening ceremony of The Moving Wall's arrival at Crosby Memorial Park Thursday. The wall will be in Crosby until 5 p.m. Monday.
Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
Thatcher served in the Navy in Vietnam from 1966-1968. His cousin, Gary Thatcher, died there on Feb. 6, 1970, and his name is among those listed on the wall.
"I like to say hello to him whenever I can," Thatcher said.
Getting the wall to Crosby took more than a year of a joint effort between Myrin James Legion Post 443 in Ironton and the Walter Scott Erickson American Legion Post 557 in Deerwood.
Bill Leonhardt, chair of the Moving Wall Committee, post adjutant of Walter Scott Erickson American Legion Post 443 in Deerwood and commander of the Aitkin-Crow Wing County American Legion Council, said it was not only the effort of the committee that brought the wall to Crosby, but the efforts and donations of hundreds of people, businesses, organizations and the city.
After serving two tours as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, Jim Blanich, formerly of Deerwood, went to The Moving Wall in Crosby with his wife, Joan, and mother, Ruth, to find names of comrades who are etched into the wall. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
"This has been a long time coming," Leonhardt said. "Yes there's been some hard work in there, but when you see the wall setting behind us you can see it's all been worth it."
Staging for the wall started at 7 a.m. Thursday as organizers, escorted by police officers and others, moved The Moving Wall to the park. After several hours, the wall - made of aluminum panels labeled to names can easily be found - was in place.
Thursday's opening ceremony included advancement of colors by the color guard units of both American Legion posts; the National Anthem by the Cuyuna Range Community Band; the Pledge of Allegiance; an invocation from James Rude, chaplain with Walter Scott Erickson American Legion Post 443; a POW/MIA ceremony in which a small table with a single chair was set on the field; the singing of "From a Distance" by Carla Gutzman; a 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps.
Crosby Mayor Dale Sova thanked everyone who attended Thursday's ceremony.
"Housing The Moving Wall replica is a privilege we in Crosby share with rest of Crow Wing County and the surrounding region," Sova said. "This is a solemn event and we do not limit our thoughts to only the Vietnam War but to all military actions."
The Moving Wall will be open 24 hours a day through 5 p.m. Monday, when a closing ceremony will take place. At 1 p.m. July Saturday speakers have been scheduled and the Cuyuna Range community band will perform. A Fallen Comrade Ceremony will be conducted and the names of 36 service members that are on the wall from the area will be read out loud.