MARION (WSIL) 鈥斅燗s part of the nation鈥檚 continued commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, The Moving Wall returns to southern Illinois. It鈥檚 a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Francis Pass, a聽Vietnam War hero shares his story about the war,聽"We would be short and so they let me go into the field and ride with all the line troops and he did because I did box those weapons."
The Dongola native joined the army in the 1960s聽when he was 19 years old,聽"I thought that I鈥檇 rather join than to be drafted."
Pass spent a year in the war, "We lost 730 of our people but while I was there we lost five great guys."聽
Pass has visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the nation鈥檚 capital twice,聽"The very first time I stood up there by the statue of the three soldiers there at the street with my hand pushed holding the tree to brace myself and I cried."
Soon, he won鈥檛 have to travel far to see a tribute to his fellow soldiers,聽"I think it鈥檚 an opportunity to share with our young people because freedom is not."
The Moving Wall will be on display at the Marion VA Medical Center聽from May 2 to聽May 5 at the following times.
Thursday, May 2 from 5:30 p.m. 鈥� 10 p.m.
Friday, May 3 from 10 a.m. 鈥� 10 p.m.
Saturday, May 4 from 8 a.m. 鈥� 10 p.m.
Sunday, May 5 from 8 a.m. 鈥� 10 p.m.
