MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee County War Memorial Center recently announced a new permanent exhibit that will honor 64 Wisconsin residents who received the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The War Memorial Center has entered the public phase of a $500,000 campaign for the exhibit. The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest and most prestigious military decoration in the nation, the War Memorial Center said.
The War Memorial Center said it provides a place for heroes to be honored, history to be taught and warriors to heal. Now its latest chapter for the facility is Operation Advance.
Operation Advance will feature permanent installations beginning with the Wisconsin Medal of Honor exhibit, which will open in the fall. Other plans include POW/MIA Exhibit (Prisoner of War/Missing in Action), and the WMC Situation Room – a leadership lab where students and adult learners are challenged to explore the characteristics of military exemplars throughout history, according to the War Memorial Center.
“As one of the Medal of Honor recipients from Wisconsin, I have always said that I am just a caretaker of this medal,” said Gary G. Wetzel, Vietnam Veteran and Medal of Honor recipient. “I wear it for everybody, especially the guys who never came home from distant wars. I was presented the Medal of Honor in 1968 from President Lyndon B. Johnson for service in Vietnam. For more than 50 years, I’ve been sharing the stories of the heroes who wear these Medals. Their stories deserve a permanent home in the War Memorial Center.”
Officials say the Operation Advance Phase One campaign has raised more than 80 percent of its goal. For more information about donating to the Operation Advance Campaign, click here..
