Tears were shed yesterday when around 100 motorcycles escorted the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall into the site of the Veterans Reunion.

Motorcycles with the Winston-Salem chapter of Rolling Thunder, the official motorcycle club of the Vietnam Veterans of America, and other bikes roared into the Bassett Furniture Industries factory parking lot off of sheep Farm Road. In the midst of the motorcycles were trucks hauling the pieces of the traveling memorial and helicopters that were actually used during the Vietnam War.

The wall and helicopters were escorted in to be set up for the Veterans Reunion sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans of America with the help of Cruise In For Christ.

James Dawson is the treasurer for the local VVA chapter, and he helped organize the bike ride into Mount Airy. He said, “It’s for those that couldn’t ride, those that couldn’t speak for themselves.”

Dan Hilton, an organizer for the event, said, “Seeing (the wall) roll in, I can’t describe it,” Hilton remarked. “I almost cried. I was so glad and happy to see it roll in.”

As Hilton looked around at the crowd of veterans who participated in the ride and those who had been waiting at the site to see the envoy, he got choked up.

“It’s the most Vietnam veterans I’ve seen in one place since I was in Vietnam 37 years ago,” he said. “I can walk up to any of them and they’re my brother or my sister, and I don’t even know them.”

Janie Lowe is the wife of a Vietnam veteran, and they are members of the VVA. Seeing the wall escorted in, Lowe said, “It puts cold chill bumps on you and you want to cry.”

Bobby Carpenter quietly looked at one of the helicopters that was escorted in. He said it was the same model helicopter that he piloted when he served in the Vietnam War.

“It chokes me up,” he said. “It really does.”

He said a lot of people don’t realize what veterans went through. But he thinks non-veterans should attend the reunion “so they know a little bit about what the service men go through.”

Veterans and volunteers are setting up the traveling wall this morning at the site, next to a fence which displays banners decorated by students of Lifespan in Dobson.

Bob Penn with Rolling Thunder is glad the traveling wall offers people in the Triad who can’t go to Washington, D.C., the opportunity to see a replica of the memorial.

“It’s a spiritual healing for a lot of veterans, and it’s educational for those who are not,” said Penn.

Once the wall is completely set up, which Hilton estimated might be between noon and 1 p.m., the VVA will hold an opening ceremony. Community members are welcome to come and watch volunteers set up the wall and observe the opening ceremony. The opening ceremony will include some veteran recognitions and the placing of wreaths on the memorial.

Don Belle, president of the local VVA chapter, said, “We’re ecstatic. We’ve been planning on this for a long time. Everybody has one focus, and that focus is honoring our fallen warriors.”

Cruise In For Christ also plans to have an opening ceremony on Friday at 5 p.m., according to Clay Honeycutt. He has some local leaders scheduled to speak.

The reunion will last today through Monday, and the reunion grounds will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. There is no cost to get in, but donations will be accepted. Located at the site each day will be the wall, helicopter displays, the “Walking Wounded” exhibit of pictures from Vietnam, food vendors, and music stages. Cruise-ins to the wall are scheduled to take place, and a car show and poker run have been planned for Saturday. Veterans of all wars will be recognized at the reunion, and veterans and non-veterans alike are encouraged to come.

Bassett Furniture Industries, where the reunion is being held, is located at Sheep Farm Road off of the Park Drive exit of Interstate 74. For more information, contact the VVA at 356-2085.

Contact Meghann Evans at mevans@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.