HORNELL (WENY) - For the next five days, a traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall will be on display in Hornell as a way to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives during the war. For Vietnam Veteran Skip Merrick, the display is more than just names on a wall, it's friends, it's brothers, it's sisters. "It's an honor for us guys who did come home to protect the name, to protect the wall and say hello to comrades who didn't come home," explains Merrick who served aboard the USS Enterprise in Vietnam in 1969. For the next five days, the traveling replica of the Vietnam Veteran Memorial in Washington DC, will be in Hornell next to the Arkport Cycles store. The wall stretches nearly 300 feet long and holds more than 58,000 names. Which sadly Merrick explains doesn't have all those …show more content…
Those with a cross next to their name represent those who are still Missing in Action. Jennifer Swarts, the general manager of Arkport cycles says a tons of her customers are veterans and wanted to show them appreciation for their sacrfrifices. "The healing they may gain by coming to see that and the education for the younger kids because this happened not so much in their parents lifetime but their grandparents, and they do need to see the sacrifices these men and women gave for our country and the freedom that we have today," explains Swarts. Events Schedule: June 3- 10:00AM M/C Tony Ritter. Presentation of Colors-Canaseraga Legion. National Anthem-Blue Jay Choraliers. Speaker Bill Schaff & Bob Lonsberry 11:00 a.m. Military War Plane Museum fly-over. Senator Cathy Young will visit in the afternoon. June 4-10:00AM M/C Larry Jones. Presentation of Colors Steuben County. Speaker Assemblyman Bill Nojay. 12:00 Benefit Bike Ride leaves hosted by Conesus Lake Riders. Starts at Arkport Cycles and ends at Canaseraga Legion. All proceeds to benefit the Bath VA-Mental Health Div. Music tribute at 1:00 pm by Danny