Madison Veterans for Peace

Clarence Kailin Chapter 25

Peace Veterans Plan November Memorial Mile Week Events After nearly six years, the war is not over.... 11/08/2008 Paul McMahon - VFP Board

Olbrich Park - May 2008

Madison Chapter of Veterans for Peace is once again planning a major event for the upcoming Veteran's Day week this November. The public is urged to attend these solemn events that encourage greater movement toward ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- emphasizing a changed policy approach of vigorous international diplomacy first and foremost in US relations with the family of nations. The message of the Memorial Mile: Mourn the Dead, Heal the Wounded, End the War.

Memorial Mile – the Third Display

On Saturday, November 8, some 4,800 tombstones will be erected along Speedway Road in Forest Hill Cemetery on Madison's near west side. (Volunteers are needed that morning -- contact John Fournelle by email: jhfour@gmail.com). After two successful and well-attended displays of the Mile at Olbrich Park (see photo above), the chapter requested and received permission from the Madison Parks Commission to move the Memorial Mile to a new location on the near west side. Forest Hill Cemetery, which faces Speedway Road between West High school and the Glennway golf course, is a dignified and appropriate location for the Mile. It is the resting place for literally hundreds of Union and Confederate soldiers, as well as veterans who served in the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, Korea, Viet Nam and the first Gulf War. It is the site of annual Memorial Day ceremonies respecting the sacrifices of so many Americans.

The public is invited to participate in the installation of the Mile on Saturday November 8 starting at 9am and also help uninstall the headstones the following Saturday, November 15. Last May thousands of passers-by viewed the Memorial Mile during the week at Olbrich Park and comparable numbers of visitors are likely this November at Forest Hill. The Mile may be visited any time, day or night, during November 8-15. The quiet cemetery roads may be entered at either end (near West High or at the Glennway St. end). Visitors may park along the internal cemetery roads. Walked quietly among the stones; leave flowers if you wish. The sobering and respectful display symbolizes the deaths of over 4,300 US service personnel in Iraq and nearly 500 in Afghanistan. Over 35,000 Americans have been seriously wounded in Iraq. To date 95 Wisconsin soldiers have died, symbolized by the small Wisconsin flags on scattered headstones.

Veterans for Peace members and volunteers will be available as often as possible throughout the week to answer questions, listen and share thoughts.

Sunday Ceremony and Reading of Names

A one-hour memorial ceremony will be held on Sunday, November 9th at 2pm at the west end of the display. Those attending are welcome to park on the cemetery roads on that end. Featured speakers include the Rev. David Couper, Iraq War veterans Fran Weidenhoeft and Nate Toth (Iraq Veterans Against the War) and Vietnam veteran Will Williams. Bag pipping will accompany the reading of the 95 Wisconsin war dead at the end. VFP board member Frank Court will be the master of ceremonies.

Veterans for Peace is a national organization dedicated to the cause of peace. Having dutifully served the nation, VFP members affirm a greater responsibility to serve the cause of world peace. and espouses that in a global community of finite resources, national cooperation and political negotiation must replace armed conflicts. Military spending must be supplanted by greater investment in peaceful endeavors. To date, nearly 600 billion dollars has been spent or committed on the Iraq War.

VFP members John Fournelle and Richard Chamberlin are co-chairs of the events.

For further information: Paul McMahon (608) 233-1997 or email heartlandphoto@tds.net