Documents and personal notes from people who created the Vietnam VeteransMemorial of Iowa are being turned over to historians today in a ceremony.Members of the State Historical Society of Iowa requested the items tobetter document the monument which was dedicated 15 years ago today.Jerry Mathiasen is a former Branstad Administration staffer who helped theVietnam memorial become a reality in Des Moines. Mathiasen is turning oversome of his notes on how the hundreds of Iowa veterans’ names were obtained.The Vietnam Veterans monument is just south of the state capitol building ina semi-circle of dark stone. It is engraved with the names of 865 Iowans whowere killed in action in Vietnam, or who were listed as missing in action.Today’s ceremony is slated for 2 p-m at the memorial. Both of the designerswill be there — Mary Jane Long of Des Moines & Tim Salisbury of Evanston,Illinois.
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