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POSTED: Tuesday, Jul. 07, 2009

Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall comes to Bellingham

BELLINGHAM — Harold Leroy Frank was 22 and had been “in country” for less than six months when he was killed in the Quang Tri Province of northern South Vietnam.

Wednesday, July 8, is the anniversary of Frank’s death in 1970.

The summary of his death reads like a blunt statistic: “Hostile, ground casualty, gun, small-arms fire,” the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Web site shows for the Army sergeant from Seattle.

But on Thursday, July 9, Frank’s name won’t read like any statistic for the hundreds of people likely to visit the American Veterans Traveling Tribute memorial in Bellingham. For those people, Frank’s name and those of the other 58,000 troops who died in Vietnam will likely be read with tears in eyes as soldiers and citizens come to pay their respects for the fallen.

Those casualties include more than two dozen Whatcom County troops. Most cities in the U.S. lost at least one person in Vietnam. Even tiny Everson had a casualty — Duane Allen Likkel, drafted into the Army and killed in 1968.

The traveling wall will be on display from Thursday, July 9, to Sunday, July 12, at Memorial Park in Bellingham, 2800 King St. It’s right behind Sunnyland Elementary School.

“When a vet goes to the wall, they may never approach it,” said Shelley Prentice, the local coordinator for the wall. “When they go to the wall they’re around peers who have done the same thing. It’s a safe environment to let their feelings out. It’s a place where they can finally let their guard down and acknowledge what they’ve been through, the pain they’re in, and find comfort.”

The replica wall is an 80 percent duplication of the memorial in Washington, D.C., standing about 8 feet tall at its apex and is more than 370 feet long. This version last came to Bellingham in 2006, escorted by the Washington State Patrol and the Bellingham Police Department to the park.

A motorcycle escort of volunteers and military veterans motorcycles will start from the northbound Interstate 5 rest area at Smokey Point about 1 p.m. Prentice encourages people to gather on the overpasses along the way to wave, hold up signs and show support for veterans.

IF YOU GO

What: The American Veterans Traveling Tribute wall.

When: July 9-12 for public viewing.

Where: Memorial Park, 2800 King St., behind Sunnyland Elementary School.

More info: call Shelley Prentice at (360) 647-8268.

SCHEDULE

Wednesday, July 8: The wall is escorted from the I-5 northbound rest area at Smokey Point. The public is welcome to escort as well and is encouraged to stand on freeway overpasses to show support.

3:30 p.m., those who escorted the wall and the general public are invited to a barbecue at Neiner Neiner Weiner. Admission for the public is $5; it is also a cancer fundraiser for organizer Shelleysue Prentice's brother, Rick Black.

Thursday, July 9: Set up begins at 8 a.m. Volunteers are welcome.

2 p.m.: Special viewing time for senior citizens begins.

Friday, July 10: Official opening ceremony for the wall at 6 p.m. Open for 24 hours a day.

Saturday, July 11: 3 p.m. is the "Ride of Honor" as combat vets on motorcycles ride the length of the wall in salute to the fallen.

4:30 p.m., Singer Laurie Lee Lewis performs.

9 p.m., candlelight prayer service.

Sunday, July 12: 9 a.m. church services, local churches are invited to attend.

4 p.m., closing ceremonies begin.

6 p.m., the wall is taken down. Volunteers are welcome to help.