AVTT Vietnam Veterans Traveling Wall

THE COST OF FREEDOM TRIBUTE

The Putnam County Joint Veterans Council (PC JVC) has arranged to bring a traveling wall to the Putnam County Veterans Memorial Park on Gypsy Trail Road in Kent, New York from Thursday October 20 to Sunday October 23, 2011.

The American Veterans Travelling Tribute (AVTT - http://www.AVTT.org) created an 80% scale model of the Washington, D.C. Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, the largest available anywhere at about 360 feet in length and about 8 feet in height at the center. In addition, the Cost of Freedom Tribute contains memorials for each war from the American Revolution to the current conflict in Afghanistan, for the victims of 9/11/2001, the Fort Hood murders and for lost firefighters, law enforcers and all first responders.

There are educational exhibits including images and profiles of the American presidents and reproductions of our important founding documents. Admission is free and all funding for the project was provided by generous donors.

The massive truck and trailer carrying the American Veterans Traveling Tribute wall to the site will be met by a formal escort at the rest stop on the northbound side of Route 684 between Croton Falls [Exit 8] and Brewster [Exit 10] on Wednesday afternoon, October 19. The Putnam County Sheriff's Department, bikers from New York State's Chapter 3 of Rolling Thunder, and a motorcycle contingent from the Putnam County Fraternal Order of Police [FOP] will depart from the rest stop at about 4 PM and then leave Route 684 at Exit 10, Brewster, shortly after.

The escort will accompany the vehicles through the Village of Brewster, across Route 6 to Lake Gleneida, then through the Hamlet of Carmel to Route 301 and on to Gypsy Trail Road. We encourage residents and local business people to come out to greet the procession, waving flags and cheering the participants.

The exhibits will be available for viewing for four days beginning with an outstanding opening ceremony on Thursday, October 20, 2011 at 7 PM. Participants for the opening include Master Sergeant Mary Kay Messenger, vocalist for the West Point Band; the Marine Corps Honor Guard and the West Point Honor Guard. There will be introductory remarks by Brigadier General Donald B. Smith (ret.), Putnam County Executive Paul Eldridge, PCJVC Chairman Peter Pennelle, and Director of Putnam County Veterans Services Karl Rohde.

On Friday night at 6:00 PM, there will be a Prisoner of War (POW) ceremony beginning with an explanation of the setting of the ritual POW Table, followed by imprisoning a man in a reproduction POW cage of bamboo, similar to ones actually used to imprison and torture American POWs in North Vietnam. There will be two men in the cage for 24 hours, ending about 6 PM on Saturday.

The Ninham Mountain Singers will present an hour-long performance beginning at 6 PM on Saturday. The Closing Ceremony for the event will begin after noon on Sunday.

Category:

Education

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