Project Vietnam memorial almost finished

Jim Eddleman had a big idea.

And his big idea is becoming reality.

The Vietnam veteran promised himself in 1968 that if he made it home, he�d find a way to honor the people he fought with.

What�s spawned from that promise is The Missouri National Veterans Memorial in Perryville. It�s an exact, full-scale replica of the memorial in Washington, D.C., down to the misspellings of some soldiers� names, according to a recent report by Marybeth Niederkorn. It sits on 43 acres of former farmland Eddleman donated to the project.

The wall is made of the same black granite as the memorial wall in Washington, and is oriented to the sun in the same way, said Don Fulford, MNVM board president.

�Something I�ve learned about the Vietnam War, a lot of the sadness, tragedies, how the veterans were treated, it inspired me to learn more about American history,� Fulford told Niederkorn, adding veterans were told to return home in civilian clothing �so they wouldn�t be spat on. You hear about those things, and I think now�s our time to say, �Hey, we get it now. We made some mistakes then. As a nation, we�re grateful.��

A reflecting pool and more monuments are planned for the monument. The space is already impressive, but the additions will make it a reflective space for healing, in a quiet, silent setting, something that can�t be found at the memorial in Washington.

�A lot of these men came from America�s heartland,� Fulford said. �This is what we�re offering. This is America�s wall, this is who you are, and we appreciate what you did.�

Eddleman grew the project from just an idea. It�s been some 50 years since his service in Vietnam.

Well done, Mr. Eddleman. We�re sure Vietnam veterans and the public will appreciate this gem you�ve created for respect and healing.