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Friday, March 29, 2024

Healing Field of Honor returns to Naperville during week of Veterans Day

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Above / In 2009, the first Naperville Healing Field of Honor displayed 2,009 American flags in front of the Moser Tower with the 72-bell carillon on Rotary Hill. For 2015, 2,015 flags will wave in tribute that freedom isn’t free. (Photo by James Hoch Photography)

UPDATE Oct. 25, 2015 / Moving right along, employees of the Naperville Park District were busy fighting the heavy rain early Saturday morning as they continued to right the framework for Naperville’s Vietnam Wall that will be set with 70 panels listing names of all fallen heroes from the Vietnam era.

During the Healing Field of Honor with an exhibit of 2,015 American flags, a separate special tribute around a tree near the Riverwalk Eatery will include 11 Naperville men who sacrificed their lives during the often controversial war in Southeast Asia.

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Above / Early Saturday workers dodged heavy rain for a short time (and PN’s cameras tried, too!) while the framework was updated to fit the 70 aluminum panels.  This next week, the frame will be painted an off-black color to complement the replica of the Vietnam Wall memorial.

The front page of the October 24 edition of the Daily Herald features a story that demonstrates the high-tech printing process by Blooming Color. See how it runs.

Numerous stories about the Vietnam Wall also appear in the November 2015 issue of American Legion Post 43 Newsletter, Keeping Posted.

For instance, Vietnam veteran Wayne Fischer (USMC / Jan. 1966-Sept. 1971) notes that Naperville’s Vietnam Memorial Wall will be a 60 percent replica of the one in Washington, D.C.  Our ‘Vietnam Wall’ will be up along with the 2,015 Flags from Fri.,  Nov. 6 until Fri., Nov. 13,” he wrote.

American flags for the Healing Field Memorial may be purchased for $30. A special “Tag of Honor” is available for an additonal $5.  Flag order forms are available at the Naperville Park District Administrative Office and online at www.healingfield.org/naperville.

For more details, visit www.healingfield.org/naperville.

UPDATE Oct. 22, 2015 / Workers have been assembling the framework for Naperville’s replica of the Vietnam Wall for the past week in order to be ready for the field of American flags that will be set up on Nov. 6.  Located at the edge of Rotary Hill along the Riverwalk, the recognition of individuals who served during the Vietnam era will be an added focus of the 2015 Healing Field of Honor when a spectacular display of 2,o15 American flags will wave freely during the week of Veterans Day through Nov. 12.

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Above / The framework for Naperville’s Vietnam Wall is being set for the panels that will list names of all who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam era.

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Above / Rosemarie Breske Garvey shows one of many panels being printed at Blooming Color via a specialty application on aluminum sheets for an special tribute to 11 men from Naperville who gave the ultimate sacrifice, an addition to the Vietnam Memorial Wall. The replica of the wall is being created as the nation remembers the 50th anniversary since the Vietnam War began.

Observe Veterans Day at 11AM Nov. 11

Remember that for 2015, the Veterans Day observance usually held at Veterans Park will be moved to the Healing Field of Honor on Rotary Hill. The ceremony begins at 11AM Wed., Nov. 11, complete with patriotic music and the sounds of the 72-bell Millennium Carillon. The entire community is welcome to attend this annual observance organized by Naperville veterans from the American Legion Post 43 and Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873.

UPDATE June 14, 2015 / Flag Day is observed on June 14 to commemorate the adoption by the Continental Congress in 1777 of the official United States flag.  According to the Dictionary of American Politics, from 1795 to 1818, the red, white and blue had 15 stripes and 15 stars.  After the last date in 1818, Old Glory was redesigned with 13 stripes and the number of stars equal to the number of States in the Union.

Flag-Day-2009

Above / In 2009, Flag Day also fell on a Sunday at a time when residents were planning the first Healing Field with 2,009 American flags.

Citizens of Naperville are blessed that many homes, businesses, churches, parks and public buildings fly the Grand Old Flag every day in appreciation for all the sacrifices and service to protect freedom around the world and at home.

Today is also a good time to be reminded that the third Healing Field of Honor will return to Rotary Hill along the Riverwalk leading up to remembrances on Veterans Day on Nov. 11.

Flags are available for $30.  For details, visit www.healingfield.org/naperville.

Posted March 27, 2015 / The National Healing Field Foundation is honored to join Operation Support Our Troops – America and the Naperville Park District in announcing that the 2015 Naperville Healing Field of Honor will be returning to downtown Naperville November 6-12, the week leading up to Veterans Day on Nov. 11.  American flags once again will be displayed proudly on Rotary Hill as organizers aim to unite the community in recognition of the honorable men and women of the U.S. Military.

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During Naperville’s first Healing Field of Honor in 2009, the view from the observation deck of Moser Tower included a wave of 2,009 American Flags as well as the Riverwalk Quarry and the Naperville Municipal Center in the distance.

This year marks the beginning of the U.S. Department of Defense  “Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration Program” to thank, honor and highlight the service of the Armed Forces during the Vietnam War, organizers note.   The Naperville Committee will pay tribute to veterans of this era with “50 Years of Healing” which will include special programs and the inclusion of a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

The week-long event will honor and remember the 3 million service men and women who left family and friends to fight a politically unpopular war far from home.  Visitors to Rotary Hill will have the opportunity to observe that 58 thousand died serving in Southeast Asia and many veterans who returned from the conflict did not receive a worthy welcome home. After five decades, the Naperville 2015 Healing Field of Honor® field of flags will stand as a solemn tribute to those who fought and died during the Vietnam War.

The proceeds from this memorial will go to the Allen J. Lynch Medal of Honor Veterans Foundation.

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Tags with commemorative messages again will be tied onto the flag poles with yellow ribbons to honor veterans, past and present.

Flags for the Healing Field Memorial may be purchased for $30 and you may dedicate a flag with a special “Tag of Honor” for $5.  Flags can be picked up from the field on the final day of the event or shipped to you for an additional $5.  Flag order forms are available at the Naperville Park District Administrative Office and online at www.healingfield.org/naperville.

Donations are welcome by contacting Anna Zimmerman, Fundraiser Chair, at annaz@wowway.com.

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In previous years, groups of neighbors and other service organizations volunteered to help assemble flags in advance of the commemorative event held in conjunction with Veterans Day.

Volunteers are needed for flag assembly, field set-up and field conclusion, to volunteer, contact Brad Wilson at (630)848-3532, bwilson@napervilleparks.org.

Rotary Hill is located along the Riverwalk in downtown Naperville, across Aurora Avenue from Naperville Central High School.

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