Retired traveling Vietnam Wall burned

The traveling replica of the memorial wall honoring Iowa’s Vietnam veterans was retired Sunday after some 800 people visited it in recent days at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds. The wood-and-vinyl wall was set on fire in a ceremony, much like the retiring of a battered American flag. Tom Van Atter, of Webster City, helped organize the event. Van Atter says it was a happy and sad occasion as the memorial not only lists the names of their buddies from Vietnam who were killed, missing or taken prisoner, but the wall itself has become a buddy. Webster City Mayor Gene Grey says it’s not possible to recognize all of the sacrifices made by the many veterans who have made our lives so good today.Bob Stebins, a spokesman for the Iowa State Veterans Affairs office, read part of a letter from Governor Vilsack at the event, as Vilsack is on a trade mission in Europe. In the letter, Vilsack called the traveling memorial wall an Iowa treasure. The wall was called a “fitting tribute to the 869 Iowans who lost their lives in Vietnam and the 29 brave soldiers who are missing in action or prisoners of war.” The 14-year-old wall was simply worn out. A replacement is being built, which, like the wall that was just burned, will tour the state on a trailer. It will cost 40-thousand dollars. For more information, surf to “www.iowavietnamtravelingmemorial.com”.