JEFFERSON CITY, MO. -- Some Vietnam veterans have taken action to restore a war exhibit at the state museum in the Missouri Capitol.
A trio of vets walked more than a 100 miles from Iron County to arrive in Jefferson City Monday afternoon to deliver a piece of replacement artwork.
The art is a two-dimensional reproduction of the statuary at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington.
The vets became concerned upon learning it was removed last year and put into storage after nearly two decades on display.
"The picture, possibly, may be fading,” Vietnam Veteran/Artist Tom Seematter said. “Vietnam veterans are fading at a rate of 400 per day. Maybe it's a race to see which fades out first, but I have brought another print. If they wanna restore that one, they can put this other print, which has not seen light for twenty years, in place of it.”
A spokes person for the museum said the state regularly rotates exhibits to minimize deterioration from exposure.
She said museum people met Tuesday with Seematter and happily accepted his replacement print.
She also said the museum would like to hear from other vets who can provide items for display.
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