Cheboygan Hosts Veterans Memorial Wall

Veterans of the Vietnam War will be remembered in Cheboygan with the arrival of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall, which will be available for public viewing 24 hours per day at the Cheboygan County Fairgrounds from Thursday, September 28, through Sunday, October 1. There will be a public ceremony Friday, September 29, at 7 p.m.

The Wall is a monument symbolizing the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. It lists the names and ranks of all known U.S. and Canadian soldiers who lost their lives in the war.

Donations allow the wall to be transported and set up for public viewing throughout the United States. It's latest exhibition is sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 274, Cheboygan.

Campsites will be available at the fairgrounds and food will be available for purchase. Sites will cost $15 for campers that desire electrical hookups and $10 for those that do not, said Duane Swan, event organizer and member of Chapter 274.

The Wall will be transported via semi-truck and escorted from Norway to Cheboygan by 15 to 20 members of the Forgotten Eagles motorcycle group, which is also donating money for gasoline, said Kevin Stephenson of Brimley, a Vietnam veteran and state treasurer for the Forgotten Eagles.

The Forgotten Eagles will provide assistance to project organizers and security at the fairgrounds, he added.

At each location, the U.S. National Guard helps assemble the wall, which breaks down into sections, Mr. Stephenson said.

The wall was created by Johh DeVipt, with the assistance of two other veterans. All three were originally from California, Mr. Swan said.

When not on tour, the Wall is housed by Mr. DeVipt in White Pine, where memorials such as pictures, candles, flags, and flowers, are often left in memory of soldiers who did not survive the war. All of these offerings are stored with the wall, Mr. Swan told The St. Ignace News.

To donate to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall, contributions can be sent to Cheboygan County Veterans Affairs P.O. Box 70, Cheboygan, MI 49721.

Checks must be made out to Vietnam Veterans Chapter 274. Checks made out the Veterans Affairs office cannot be accepted, said Duane Swan, event organizer.