Lewis County Veteran's Memorial Museum

Elite '09

463

409

Riss J.

Bothell, WA

2/3/2008

There are a lot of differences in what rates highly in the culture of the Lewis County area than that of the King County/Metro area. In this part of the world, family, farming, big trucks....and a deep love of country and support of the Armed Forces sits proudly in the heart of residents.

I had the opportunity to visit this museum last summer as the traveling replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall was here.

As you approached the wall...your mind forgets very quickly that it's just a replica...the fact that you are the parking lot of a museum just fades away and you are left standing there alone with the names of the fallen.

I was overcome with emotion more than once...as I read off names and recognized one that my Dad traveled to D.C to see, that of one of his fallen friends in Vietnam...as I watched family members of the fallen find the names and lay down boots, flowers, prayers and their tears on the pavement below...as I watched in the eyes of young soldiers serving now gaze in awe at the true magnitude of what they were seeing in front of them represented in that wall...Even remembering those moments now I can feel the surge inside that I felt that day.

The special festivities for that weekend were not dampened by the sudden onset of rain,...during one speech ...although it began to pour..not one soul moved while the words of support and stories of heroism were shared with us by those who lived them.

This museum received devastating damages in the recent floods in Lewis County...and will be closed for months as they try to recover, rebuild and repair. It is a true blow to the supporters in this area and around the world.

They have one of the largest collection of small arms in the country and support this community greatly.

If you like museums, like war history, or have friends and family in the Armed Forces, this museum is a worthy stop along your travels.

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