Michigan Vietnam Veterans Travelling Memorial Wall coming to Auburn Hills Community Center on Oct. 12, 2013

Media contacts: Mike Espejo, City of Auburn Hills; mespejo@auburnhills.org; 248-364-6726; Shelly Chapman, City of Auburn Hills; schapman@auburnhills.org; 248-364-6798

August  2, 2013 - The City of Auburn Hills Senior Services Department in collaboration with American House Senior Living Communities proudly welcomes the Michigan Vietnam Veterans Travelling Memorial Wall to the Community Center on October 12, 2013.

This travelling memorial honors the more than 2,600 servicemen and women from Michigan who were either killed in action, prisoners of war or missing in action during the Vietnam War, the longest military conflict in American history. Provided by Chapter 154 of Vietnam Veterans of America, the wall will be on display at the Auburn Hills Community Center on Saturday October 12 from 10 a.m. - 5p.m.  The public is welcome and encouraged to visit the memorial. Refreshments and hotdogs will be provided by American House, who is coordinating the event.

“The wall will be here in Auburn Hills as part of a pre-Veterans day remembrance,” says Shelly Chapman, Auburn Hills Senior Services Event Coordinator. “The Chapter 154 Color Guard will also be in attendance.”

Throughout the day, two films; “From the Beaches of Normandy to the Jungles of Vietnam” produced by American House and “You Are Not Forgotten: A Tribute to Vietnam Veterans” a film produced by Macomb Community College, will be shown at the Community Center on a loop for all to view. 

Vendors and information booths will also be at the Community Center providing information for veterans and other guests of the event.

About the memorial

The wall’s story began in 2005, when Staff Sergeant Kurt Damrow was asked by the 127^th Wing of Michigan Air National Guard to coordinate their tribute to Vietnam veterans at their bi-annual Military Air Show and Open House. Damrow originally hoped to bring the Moving Wall, a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. that has been traveling across the country since 1984. The popular memorial, however, was scheduled to be in another state.

Damrow then took the opportunity to create a new and truly unique memorial, one that displayed the names of the 2,600 plus names of Michigan veterans who were killed in action in Vietnam. With the help of friend and co-worker John Swanson, the two created a striking five-panel memorial that commemorates the men and woman who lost their lives during the war.

Cost: Free

Date: October 12, 2013; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 

Location: The Auburn Hills Commuity Center is located within the Auburn Hills City Campus on 1827 N. Squirrel Rd in Auburn Hills, MI on the corner of University Dr. and Squirrel Rd. For more information on the event contact Shelly Chapman at schapman@auburnhills.org or call 248-364-6798.