Turnout of 15,000 estimated at Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall exhibit

HONORING VETERANS through drumming and singing, the Medicine Lodge Singers proceed along a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall during a wreath-laying ceremony Saturday morning in Peshawbestown.

"To me, I think of it as three of our people finally coming home again and paying tribute to everyone else who died in Vietnam." - Pat Putney, Grand Traverse Band member

Officials estimated that around 15,000 people visited the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall when it visited Peshawbestown July 13-15.

Part of the American Veterans Traveling Tribute based in Minnesota, the wall is an 80-percent replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. and contains the names of all 58,000-plus American servicemembers who died in the war.

The traveling tribute’s visit was sponsored by Grand Traverse Resort & Casinos, an enterprise of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. Local veterans groups, notably the Eagletown American Legion Post, comprised mainly of Native American veterans, helped organize the visit. Many other groups and individuals volunteered to help manage the event over its four-day run.

The largest group of volunteers were members of the national Young Marines organization. More than 100 members of the youth education group’s Michigan regiment were encamped around the Strongheart Center in Peshawbestown and served as parking lot attendants, crossing guards, serving and cleanup crews, and general helpers.

Throughout the event, citizens and family members visited the site to remember the sacrifices of those who served during the unpopular war.

Pat Putney, whose cousin John Lawrence Burgess was one of three Grand Traverse Band members who was killed in action, was seated near a display in his honor a few feet from the Wall on Saturday. She said his sisters and brother came to the event, and that the Wall was a fitting tribute for the tribal members and all of the servicemen and women whose names were listed.

"To me, I think of it as three of our people finally coming home again and paying tribute to everyone else who died in Vietnam," said Putney, a department manager for tribal elders who works on cultural-related programs.

Putney said Burgess died when his helicopter crashed during combat on June 30, 1970. He was listed as missing in action for many years, but family members later learned from the only surviving member of the helicopter crash that Burgess' was killed.

Throughout the weekend, visitors left mementos at the base of the wall in honor of loved ones and friends, like carnations, feathers and Samah bundles that are sacred to tribal members.

Jerry Roberts of Peshawbestown came to pay his respects. He served in Vietnam from 1959-67 in a Marine Corps recon unit, and "did everything that was asked of me." Roberts, now retired, was sporting his motorcycle outfit covered with patches.

"I've met a lot of old friends, which was good, and it was nice to see the Young Marines," he said. "I served with a lot of guys whose names are on that wall. It's difficult …"