Las Vegas Patriot Fest Shows "Magnitude of lives lost" in Vietnam

Replicated monument draws Vietnam vets to Patriot Fest in Las Vegas
Las Vegas Review-Journal
By Katelyn Newber
May 20, 2017

“It’s a powerful thing. When you see how small the names are and how big it is, you see the magnitude of how many people lost their lives.” Branan Allison

A replica of Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall hosted by American Veterans Traveling Tribute at Craig Ranch Park on Friday May 19, 2017 in North Las Vegas.
Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review Journal

As his motorized wheelchair rolled past 58,307 names on the replica Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Dennis Daniels was consumed with grief. He reminded his wife, Aleta, to use her walker as she traced three familiar names on the wall.

But Dennis was afraid to look.

“It just brings back instant memories,” the 70-year-old said. “I don’t want to look and see if they’re up there.”

The Danielses were attending the third annual American Patriot Fest, underway at Craig Ranch Regional Park in North Las Vegas, on Saturday during Armed Forces Day.

This was the first year the American Veterans Travel Tribute organization brought the replica, sized down 80 percent from the fixture in Washington, D.C., said Branan Allison, the president of Source 1 Events, which organized the festival. The memorial will be open to the public until 3 p.m. Sunday.

Allison said he hopes to bring the memorial to the festival each year.
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