“For the 18th consecutive year, the ‘Traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial’ (Memorial) will be on display at the Welk Resort in Branson during Branson Veterans Home Coming Week” said Chris Cathcart, the Marketing Manager for the Welk Resort. “It has always been our privilege to honor our Veterans, active duty military personnel and their families who have sacrificed so much for us. Our long standing tradition of displaying the Memorial in Branson during ‘Branson Veterans Home Coming Week’ is one the ways we do that and say, ‘Thank you for your service,'” he added.
Cathcart went on to explain that when the organization from whom they had been renting the Memorial decided they wanted to sell it last year, the Welk Resort purchased it so that their tradition of displaying the Memorial in Branson and honoring those it represents would be insured for future years to come. It will be displayed at the resort on special patriotic occasions such as such as “Branson Veterans Home Coming Week.”
It is over 260 feet long, six feet tall and one half the size of the “Vietnam Veterans Memorial” on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It has the names over 58,000 servicemen who were either confirmed as Killed In Action (KIA) or were classified as Missing In Action (MIA) listed in chronological order. Although the names are listed on the Memorial in the chronological order of being declared KIA or MIA, a special locator book, sorting the names alphabetically by last name, will help visitors find a particular name on the Memorial.
The Memorial will be on display at the Welk Resort from Nov. 5 through Nov. 11 during the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The public is invited and encouraged to attend the official Opening Ceremony at the Welk Resort at 10:00 a.m. on Nov. 5.
Local volunteers will be reading the names inscribed on the Memorial out loud during the hours it is being displayed. Cathcart said that anyone desiring to volunteer to be a reader for a 30 minute period should call Jacque Cheary at 417-243-1202.
The display of the Memorial is just one of dozens of events honoring America’s Veterans, active duty personal and their families during America’s biggest ‘Veterans Day tribute, “Branson Veterans Homecoming Week”, an annual event running from Nov. 5 through Nov. 11 and featuring one of America’s longest running Veterans parades, the 81st “Branson Veterans Day Parade,” through historic downtown Branson starting at the 11th Hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Click here for a schedule of most major events and more information.