By Marie McCain
The Cincinnati Enquirer

UNION TWP. - Hundreds of people are expected to visit a traveling tribute to military personnel that will be on display in this western Clermont County township beginning Thursday. .

The American Veterans Traveling Tribute exhibit will be displayed at the township's Veterans Park.

The nearly-to-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which is displayed in Washington, D.C., is 378 feet long and 8-feet high at its apex. Like the Washington wall, the traveling memorial gets progressively taller near the center. It is fully engraved, and visitors will be able to make etchings of the names.

Set up will begin in Veterans Park, at Clough Pike and Glen Este-Withamsville Road, early Thursday.

School groups will be the first to view the tribute 12:30 p.m.-2 p.m. Thursday.

The exhibit will open to the public at 2 p.m. Officials said the exhibit will remain open 24 hours a day until it leaves Sept. 7.

Other highlights:

• The Rolling Thunder and Vietnam Veterans motorcycle club will arrive about 8 p.m. Thursday to hold a ceremony to honor prisoners of war and those in the military who are missing in action. At 8:30 p.m., an American Indian healing ceremony will take place.

• School tours will view the exhibit 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Friday.

• A remembrance ceremony will be held 10 a.m. Saturday. Visitors will be allowed to place wreaths along the wall before a reading of Clermont County residents who died in the Vietnam War and speeches from local and state authorities. Anyone wishing to place a wreath should contact Frank Morrow at the Clermont County Veterans Services Commission, 732-7363.

The Clermont Philharmonic Orchestra will hold a patriotic concert 7 p.m. Saturday. Attendees are asked to bring blankets and chairs.

Shuttle transportation will be available 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. at the Hobby Lobby next to Bigg's duration of the exhibit.

Other shuttles can be boarded at the Union Township Administration Building, 4312 Glen Este-Withamsville Road; Clough Pike Elementary, 808 Clough Pike; and Glen Este High School, 4342 Glen Este-Withamsville Road.

Information: 732-7363 or 732-7595.

E-mail mmccain@enquirer.com