This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Vietnam War Wall and the First Division Museum at Cantigny Park is helping to bring a missing piece of its history to life with a temporary exhibit called Panel 44. This version of Panel 44 features the names of 335 American soldiers who lost their lives serving in Vietnam between March 9-16 in 1968.
“The wall itself has got some pretty cool stuff besides the 335 names that are on it. There’s a medal of honor recipient that’s listed there. Part of the exhibit talks about some of the more notable individuals. There’s four people who were earned a distinguished service cross,” said Jeffrey Anderson, exhibit coordinator at the First Division Museum.
About The Panel
Despite this panel being the original that was created in 1982. It’s not the panel that is being used on the Vietnam Veteran’s Wall in Washington DC.
“Unfortunately, after they were done making it, they found there was an error in the right corner of it. So, they decided to recreate it and then they lost track of the panel. Then they found the panel for sale online and contacted the seller and the seller donated it to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial fund,” said Anderson.
The traveling exhibit will be on display at the First Division Museum at Cantigny Park until August 13.
“It’s a really nice temporary exhibit. I’m really proud that we’re able to have it here at the First Division Museum,” said Anderson.
Naperville News 17’s Anthony Yench reports.
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