Dozens of motor vehicles, most of them motorcycles, escorted a large truck containing a replica of the nation’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall across the East End through downtown Port Angeles on Wednesday afternoon.
The entourage, which also featured emergency services vehicles ending with two giant fire trucks, led the American Veterans Traveling Tribute from 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn westbound on U.S. Highway 101 through the downtown Port Angeles couplet of Front and First streets and then back to Olympic Cellars Winery three miles east of town.
It’s on the winery grounds, 255410 U.S. Highway 101, where the 80-percent scale version of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and other memorials go on free public display at 1 p.m. today through Sunday.
Today’s ceremony will feature Elaine Grinnell of the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe with a tribal blessing and Native American Veterans of Foreign Wars rifle squad with a 21-gun salute.
Clallam County Commissioner Mike Doherty will speak Thursday at 5:30 p.m. along with Betsy Reed Schultz of Port Angeles, whose son, Army Green Beret Capt. Joseph W. Schultz, died May 29 in Afghanistan.
In addition to the replica of the Vietnam wall, which bears 58,253 names of those killed in the Vietnam War, the American Veterans Traveling Tribute includes the following exhibits:
■ A Gold Dog Tag display dedicated to those who have died in the Global War on Terror.
■ A 9/11 tribute with 2,984 names of those killed in the 2001 terrorist attacks.
■ A-frames with information about every war or conflict in which the U.S. has been involved.
■ Panels depicting photos and information about World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War, and a display of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
■ Displays honoring law enforcement officers and firefighters.
■ Other displays honoring those who died in hostile action between the end of the Vietnam War and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Port Angeles Mayor Dan Di Guilio and Coast Guard Capt. Tony Hahn, commanding officer of Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles, are scheduled to speak at the memorial Friday at 6 p.m.
Sequim Mayor Ken Hayes will speak on Saturday at 6 p.m., and Sequim Pastor Jonathan Simonson will perform an all-denomination church service on Sunday at 11 a.m.
Port Angeles Police Chief Terry Gallagher will keynote a 5 p.m. program Sunday, which will include a 21-gun salute and the playing of “Amazing Grace” and taps on bagpipes.
