DioRandy
Member
The Midway Village Museum in Rockford, Illinois, is hosting its annual WWII Days this weekend.
Rockford is about 90 miles northwest of Chicago or, if you prefer, 90 miles southwest of Milwaukee.
The event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sat., Sept. 26, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sun., Sept. 27.
The weather forecast is nearly perfect, which calls for sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70s.
The event features re-enactments each day as well as chance to meet and greet the re-enacters, who camp out in the woods located on the museum grounds. They always display a couple of fully functional armoured vehicles, which also take part in the re-enactments.
For complete information, please visit www.midwayvillage.com.
As a bonus, visitors can view the LZ Peace Memorial, which is located on the museum grounds. The memorial, which is outdoors and free to the public, features a restored, flown-in-Vietnam Huey helicopter, perched above a Wall of Honor. Etched into the wall, are the names of 75 local servicemen who lost their lives in Vietnam.
I'm proud to call a couple of the men who spent 22 years of their lives to make this memorial a reality my friends. I also knew one of the men whose name is on the wall.
They are also the men who, after meeting in Plekiu, South Vietnam, in 1969, founded the internationally known veterans group VietNow in 1982. In 1989, they formed the Vietnam Veterans Honor Society, which resulted in the creation of the memorial. It was dedicated in 2005.
However, they're not done, yet. Last October, they dedicated the Agent Orange Memorial, which was added to the existing one. Currently, there are the names of 7 local servicemen, who died years after coming home, engraved on the recent addition. Unfortunately, they expect to engrave more names as time passes.
Below, is a photo I took while visiting the memorial a few years ago. If you look real close, you'll see a pair of well-worn combat boots resting at the base of the wall.
For further information, please visit www.lzpeace.org.
Rockford is about 90 miles northwest of Chicago or, if you prefer, 90 miles southwest of Milwaukee.
The event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sat., Sept. 26, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sun., Sept. 27.
The weather forecast is nearly perfect, which calls for sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70s.
The event features re-enactments each day as well as chance to meet and greet the re-enacters, who camp out in the woods located on the museum grounds. They always display a couple of fully functional armoured vehicles, which also take part in the re-enactments.
For complete information, please visit www.midwayvillage.com.
As a bonus, visitors can view the LZ Peace Memorial, which is located on the museum grounds. The memorial, which is outdoors and free to the public, features a restored, flown-in-Vietnam Huey helicopter, perched above a Wall of Honor. Etched into the wall, are the names of 75 local servicemen who lost their lives in Vietnam.
I'm proud to call a couple of the men who spent 22 years of their lives to make this memorial a reality my friends. I also knew one of the men whose name is on the wall.
They are also the men who, after meeting in Plekiu, South Vietnam, in 1969, founded the internationally known veterans group VietNow in 1982. In 1989, they formed the Vietnam Veterans Honor Society, which resulted in the creation of the memorial. It was dedicated in 2005.
However, they're not done, yet. Last October, they dedicated the Agent Orange Memorial, which was added to the existing one. Currently, there are the names of 7 local servicemen, who died years after coming home, engraved on the recent addition. Unfortunately, they expect to engrave more names as time passes.
Below, is a photo I took while visiting the memorial a few years ago. If you look real close, you'll see a pair of well-worn combat boots resting at the base of the wall.
For further information, please visit www.lzpeace.org.
