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Motorcycles Line Up To Escort Vietnam Wall

Wall In Town To Honor Fallen Soldiers

POSTED: 4:33 pm EDT October 15, 2008
UPDATED: 8:41 pm EDT October 15, 2008

More than 610 motorcyclists lined up one-by-one at the Col. Gates Cemetery in Rocky Hill to escort the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall, which will be on display the weekend of Oct. 17.

”The sacrifice of time I'm giving today is next to nothing compared to the sacrifice these guys made,” said Anesi.

Before the bikes took to the streets, a wreath was placed on the grave of Tom Blanchard. He was in Vietnam for just over two weeks and was the youngest killed from Connecticut, officials said.

His brother said he was touched to see the turnout.

“Look at it,” said Ernest Blanchard. “I'm overwhelmed, that's why I'm a little emotional.”

Then it was on to East Hartford, where the motorcycles helped the wall arrive in style.

The bikes each have a name, officials said, a placard on the front. Those placards were handed out in Rocky Hill and each has the name of a Connecticut service member who lost his life in the Vietnam War.

The wall was slated to go up Friday, officials said. There will be a series of free events all weekend, they said.

“It's an opportunity for Connecticut to show, ‘Are they serious about supporting veterans and their sacrifices?’ and the opportunity is there to show that they do,” Paul Barry, event organizer.

For more information, visit the memorial's Web site.

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