Des Plaines first stop for World War II Memorial replica
Area veterans will for the first time be able to view the original architectural model of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., here in Des Plaines.
The model, built to a one-hundredth scale, has been in storage for a decade.
Des Plaines nonprofit Pillars of Honor paid roughly $20,000 to have the replica restored and a special crate made by the original model builder, Justin Minder of Rhode Island, so it could be transported.
The group's mission is to bring the National World War II Memorial, which took a long time to build and opened in 2004, closer to aging veterans unable to travel to Washington D.C., to visit it in person.
The model will serve as a traveling memorial similar to the traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial, said Steve Schaefer, vice president of Pillars of Honor.
"They are going to get as close as they can to the Washington (World War II) Memorial," Schaefer said.
Volunteers brought the replica, worth $115,000, from a warehouse in Providence, R.I., to Des Plaines. It arrived Thursday in an 800-pound crate. The pieces will be assembled for display at the Des Plaines Public Library, Aug. 29 through Sept. 3.
The group will have a private unveiling of the model for veterans and media by invitation only at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25 at the Pillars of Honor offices, 770 Lee St., Suite 103.
This original model was used by former President Bill Clinton, former Sen. Bob Dole and the American Battle Monuments Commission during the formative stages of the campaign to get the World War II Memorial built.
"There's three or four others smaller than this in the Smithsonian. They were just used for fundraising," said Schaefer, past commander of the Des Plaines Veterans of Foreign Wars post. "This was the one that was presented to Congress."
Pillars of Honor has leased the model for five years and plans to tour the suburbs and places within 500 miles of Chicago with it. The group eventually hopes to take the model around the country.
"We'll go wherever we have to go with it. Wherever we can go," said Dale Chellis, Pillars of Honor board member, who located the model in storage. "With the aging population and the fragile nature of their health, we were working on a way to honor them."
Chellis, a Vietnam era veteran, said the group is looking for sponsors, such as VFW and American Legion posts, Rotary and Lions clubs in various cities that would like to display the model.
Officials are presently in talks with organizations in Barrington, Lake County, the Hines VA Hospital in Chicago, and Eagle River, Wis.
"Essentially, what we'll do is have online applications veterans have to fill out to figure out where we have pockets of veterans," Chellis said.
The public unveiling of the model and a ceremony honoring World War II veterans will be held 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 29 at the Des Plaines Public Library, 1501 Ellinwood St. The event features speakers, music, and refreshments courtesy of Friends of the Des Plaines Public Library.
After that, the model will be on display on the third floor of the library through Sept. 3.
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