By Kevin Smetana, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Tom “The Bear” Demasi holds up the wall as volunteers erect the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall, a three-quarter-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday at the Hillsboro Memorial Gardens in Brandon.
BRANDON — The constant sound of motorcycle engines served as background noise Tuesday while war veterans and former and current service members assembled a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
After a stop in Thonotosassa, about 280 motorcycles escorted a semitrailer truck as it carried the traveling memorial to Hillsboro Memorial Gardens in Brandon. Many of the bikers flew American flags and flags honoring prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action.
At 240 feet long and 8 feet high, the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall is three-fourths the size of the memorial in Washington, D.C. Its black, granite-like surface displays the names of more than 58,000 troops who died in Vietnam.
"It's all for the Vietnam vets. It's in support of what they did, what our troops are doing now," said Verna McKelvin, of Plant City's Wells Memorial Funeral Home, which is part of the Dignity Memorial network. "It means a whole lot to us, and this is how we can give our little bit to them."
The replica memorial has been traveling the country since 1990 and will be on display at Hillsboro Memorial Gardens through the weekend.
"It's about all of us providing reverence for 58,000," said Dave Braun, an Army veteran from Brandon. "We could've all been on that wall."
Like Braun, many of the volunteers who spent several hours constructing the memorial are from the Vietnam era. But some are now serving.
Joshua Philhower, 25, and Kristopher Elliot, 32, are stationed at MacDill Air Force Base. Both participated in the motorcade and the wall construction.
"You share a bond with them," said Philhower, a Robinson High graduate. "You kind of know what they went through. It's like one big family with people in the military. No matter if you're young or old, (there's) a lot of camaraderie."
Philhower said an eighth-grade trip to the memorial in Washington helped inspire him to join the military. Elliot, who plans to bring his wife and children to the exhibit, said helping out made him feel "a part of history."
Area high schools will take field trips to the memorial today and Thursday. On Thursday night, there will be a POW/MIA candlelight memorial service. The site will be open to the public through Sunday afternoon.
Kevin Smetana can be reached at ksmetana@sptimes.com or (813) 661-2439.
. IF YOU GO
Hed goes here
Where: Hillsboro Memorial Gardens, 2323 W Brandon Blvd., Brandon
When: • Thursday, 7 p.m.: POW/MIA candlelight memorial service
• Friday, 11 a.m.: Opening ceremony followed by flyover
• Sunday, 2 p.m.: Closing ceremony
If you go
Where: Hillsboro Memorial Gardens, 2323 W Brandon Blvd., Brandon
Thursday, 7 p.m.: POW/MIA candlelight memorial service
Friday, 11 a.m.: Opening ceremony followed by flyover
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