Visit to traveling Vietnam Wall moving experience for area residents

Jon Baker, The Times-Reporter
·4 min read
Griffin Campbell looks over the Vietnam Wall on display through Sunday afternoon at the New Philadelphia VFW.
Griffin Campbell looks over the Vietnam Wall on display through Sunday afternoon at the New Philadelphia VFW.

NEW PHILADELPHIA — The traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall will be open to the public until 3 p.m. Sunday at New Philadelphia VFW Post #1445.

The wall, located behind the post at 441 Park Ave. NW, was dedicated at a ceremony on Thursday.

Speaker for the event was Sgt. 1st Class Cody Wells, commander of the U.S. Army recruiting station in New Philadelphia and a member of the Post #1445 Honors Team.

He remarks were short. He read off the names of the 37 men from Tuscarawas County who died in the Vietnam War and noted that they were listed on the wall along with 58,244 other comrades in arms.

Visitors look over the traveling Vietnam Wall on display through Sunday at the New Philadelphia.
Visitors look over the traveling Vietnam Wall on display through Sunday at the New Philadelphia.

"This monument to the dead speaks for itself," he concluded.

Music for event was provided by the New Philadelphia High School band and the Delphian Chorale.

The wall is 380 feet long, 80% of the size of the actual Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.

Along with the wall there are separate panels commemorating other U.S. military actions in U.S. history since World War I, including, most recently, a tribute to the 13 American service members killed in the evacuation of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 26.

There is no charge or fee to visit the wall. For those who wish to, they may bring non-perishable foods items to donate to the Veterans Food Pantry at the post.

One of the visitors to the wall Thursday was Cathy Lasher of Akron, who grew up in the Dover-New Philadelphia area. She had four brothers in the service, three of whom served during the Vietnam War.

"I think it's amazing. It's impressive. I've been to the big wall in Washington, D.C. It was very moving, and so is this," she said.

One of her brothers is Steve Chenevey, commander of the New Philadelphia VFW post.

"The project went well. It was a big project," he said following the dedication. "Fortunately, we had a lot of help — members of the club, veterans from Tuscarawas County — so it well went. But it is a big project to bring into town. I'm thankful we had a lot of help."

Reaction to the wall has been positive.

He noted that some veterans came to see it as it was being installed on Wednesday.

"It was very emotional for them," Chenevey said. "That's one of the reasons we're keeping it open 24 hours. Some veterans don't like crowds and so they can come at 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 4 o'clock in the morning. There will be security here, but they'll be left alone to honor the way they want."

Taps will be played each day at 5 p.m. This will also be a short closing ceremony on Sunday, but nothing formal, he said.

Bringing the wall to New Philadelphia has meant a lot to Chenevey personally.

"I lost my wife three weeks ago, so memorials are a very personal thing at this time for me," he said. "So to be able to do a memorial is therapeutic for me for all these soldiers out there that gave the ultimate sacrifice. So I'm honored to be able to do it."

He thanked the public for supporting the VFW financially, so that it is able to help veterans in Tuscarawas County. "I would like to thank them for supporting our food bank, and veterans are starting to use that quite regularly."

Chenevey asked that anyone who knows a veteran in need of assistance to call the post at 330-364-9973 or email at vfw1445@gmail.com. The post can provide food, rent support and transportation support.

Sgt. 1st Class Cody Wells was the featured speaker at the dedication of the traveling Vietnam Wall, on display at the New Philadelphia VFW.
Sgt. 1st Class Cody Wells was the featured speaker at the dedication of the traveling Vietnam Wall, on display at the New Philadelphia VFW.

The fallen from Tuscarawas Valley

Raymond F. Parks, Dennison

James B. Alexander, Dover

William E. Border, Stone Creek

Louis E. Walton, Lansing, Mich.

Donald V. Stein, Fresno, Calif.

Oscar F. Nicewinder, Dundee

Dale McCauley, Uhrichsville

Thomas Johnson, New Philadelphia

Thomas Ronald, Tuscarawas

Thomas A. Gopp, New London

Donald Wilson, Evansville, Ind.

John Keaton, Bolivar

Martin Klann, New Philadelphia

Richard Stecker, Newcomerstown

Joe Greene, Canton

Ronald Johnson, Uhrichsville

Arthur Friley, New Philadelphia

Samuel H. Bonifant, Dennison

Shelby Cooley, Mineral City

James Waltz, Washington, Pa.

Ron Wigfield, Mineral City

Jerry D. Wright, Garden Grove, Calif.

James T. Conway, Tuscarawas

Roger D. Weber, Dover

Robert Ausmus, Cambridge

Tommy Thomas, New Philadelphia

Russell Galbraith, Tippecanoe

Donald Allan, Jr., Dover

Roger Lewis, Newcomerstown

Tom Struchen, New Philadelphia

Dan Hinkel, Dover

Millard Anderson, Wooster

Charles G. Hewitt, Lake Park, Fla.

Kenneth L. Foutz, Dennison

John C. Hunter, New Philadelphia

Larry Rogers, Canton

Terry Hochstetler, Dover

Source: VFW Post #1445

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Visit to traveling Vietnam Wall moving experience for area residents