Vietnam vets exhibit, ‘A Face for Every Name,’ on display June 16-19
“Wisconsin Remembers: A Face for Every Name” features pictures, names, hometowns, and dates of birth/casualty for the 1,161 Wisconsin servicemen and women who perished in the Vietnam War. The public is invited to view the indoor exhibit at Hoffman Hall in Prairie du Chien, June 16-19.
The overall perspective of the indoor exhibit shows the many faces of fallen Vietnam servicemen and women from Wisconsin.
By Correne Martin
The 1,161 Wisconsinites listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., are the focus of a new state exhibit coming to Prairie du Chien Father’s Day weekend, June 16-19. The free traveling exhibit displays the pictures, names, hometowns, and dates of birth and casualty for Gordon L. Nagel, of Wauzeka; Gary T. Walz, of Prairie du Chien; and Nicholas G. Walz, of Steuben; and more than 1,100 others who perished while serving our country in Vietnam.
The exhibit, “Wisconsin Remembers: A Face for Every Name,” will be set up at Hoffman Hall, June 16, 12 to 3 p.m.; June 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; June 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and June 19, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It consists of banners spanning 50 feet in width and 7 feet in height.
Jeff Lessard, of Woodman, has been instrumental in bringing the display to southwest Wisconsin. He is hopeful all area veterans and their families, as well as other community members, will come to view the powerful and moving tribute to the lost lives of Wisconsin heroes.
“Growing up, I saw the news as we all did. Battles, echoing of shots fired, helicopters zipping around. All the while, in the pit of my stomach, scared that someday, I may face those sights in real time. The faces on this banner gave all so that day never came for me. I am thankful for that,” Lessard said.
Lessard explained how he secured the exhibit for Prairie du Chien. A friend of his posted a picture on social media of the “Wisconsin Remembers” wall, which is identical to the banners except that it’s an outdoor version. On the wall was a picture of Lance Corporal Gary Thomas Walz. Lessard recognized Walz’s name as being a brother to one of his friends. So he shared the post to her social media page and later talked with her by phone.
“I heard the hurt in her voice. She said, ‘I wish I knew sooner. I would have taken mom.’ When we were done talking, I thought about her mom and the pain of losing her son so that, someday, my son could enjoy this freedom we have,” Lessard noted.
After some research, he discovered the “Wisconsin Remembers” exhibit, a multi-year, crowd-sourced effort made possible by hundreds of volunteers throughout the state who, over the past eight years, collected pictures of the sons, fathers, brothers, friends and neighbors who were killed in the Vietnam War. This was part of a national effort to put a face to the names listed on the Washington D.C. memorial; the images will be part of a new Education Center built on the National Mall.
The “Wisconsin Remembers” exhibit debuted Memorial Day weekend at the World’s Largest BratFest in Madison. Lessard inquired with the creators of the exhibit—WPR, WPT and the Wisconsin Veterans Museum—about bringing the wall to the Prairie Rendezvous. He was told there was no procedure yet, since it was brand new, and perhaps the outdoor wall could come next year. However, there was an indoor banner display that was available.
So, Lessard committed to getting the banners to Prairie du Chien. He picked them up Friday in Madison and will be setting the exhibit up at Hoffman Hall this week. He has been doing his best to spread the word via regional media, knowing people in other southwest Wisconsin communities would want to view this as well. This will be only the second time the banners have been on display in the state.
“Seeing all 1,161 photos together is incredibly moving. The fact that this was made possible by volunteers across the state makes it all the more powerful,” Michael Telzrow, director of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, said. “Wisconsin lost men from 71 of our 72 counties. This exhibit will ensure our communities can remember those who were killed in the war,” he said.
“When you look into the faces of these men, you see their potential and you imagine what they might have accomplished had they come home,” Mike Crane, director of WPR said.
To request the traveling exhibit in your town, for just the cost of shipping, contact the Wisconsin Veterans Museum at (608) 261-0542 or email TravelingExhibits@dva.wisconsin.gov.
Wisconsin Remembers: A Face for Every Name will ensure that the lives of these men are forever remembered and that their stories will always be told.
