More than 1,500 American flags will take over downtown Rotary Hill when the Healing Field of Honor returns to Naperville this week for the fifth time since 2009.
Organized by Operation Support Our Troops-America, Naperville Park District, Naperville Responds for Veterans, Naperville American Legion Post 43 and Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873, the free, multiday exhibit honoring military veterans and active service members opens Friday and will be on display through Wednesday.
Naperville last hosted the Healing Field in 2019 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, the 100th anniversary of the American Legion and the 75th anniversary of Naperville’s Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873.
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This year the theme for the flag display is “Welcome Home” in recognition of the 50th anniversary of troops returning home from South Vietnam.
“As our military comes back from deployment these days, they’re honored as heroes as they should be,” said Linda Tuisl, executive director of Operation Support Our Troops-America. “But our Vietnam veterans did not get that respect and that honor so we really wanted to make it special.”
Wayne Fischer, a Vietnam vet who lives in Naperville, suggested the idea.
“He’s been really contributing a lot so that we can make sure we’re really focusing on what we should be, which is welcoming Vietnam veterans and making sure they know they are appreciated, even though it’s 50 years later,” Tuisl said.
At least 1,500 flags will adorn Rotary Hill off the Naperville Riverwalk. Visitors will not only get to watch the hundreds of flags ripple in the wind, but can walk through the field of red, white and blue as they take in the memorial.
Flags can be purchased for $40 before and during the event to honor an active service member or a veteran. Anyone who buys a flag will receive a dedication tag on which they can write a message to be placed on it while it’s displayed.
“We’re also bringing the Vietnam Wall of Remembrance, the replica that Naperville Responds for Veterans will be bringing over and setting up,” Tuisl said. The wall includes the names of more than 58,000 service members who gave their lives in Vietnam between 1957 and 1975.
Part of the significance is to “make sure we are really talking about what our previous military had done many, many years ago and making sure that we’re honoring them upon their return from 1975,” she said.
The flags going will be set up from noon to 3 p.m. Thursday, with an opening ceremony beginning at 5 p.m. In addition to remarks from speakers, the Chorus of DuPage is to perform and there will be a rifle salute.
A Veterans Day ceremony will be held at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday. It will include a moment of silence for veterans who have died, music from the Naperville Municipal Band and a prayer led by Vietnam veteran Jim Oftedal.
During the ceremonies, and on each night at 8, an Honor Guard will sound taps and a three-volley rifle salute — one round each for duty, honor and sacrifice — will be conducted. Taps also will be played every afternoon at 5.
“Taps really just reminds everyone that this is a solemn bugle and it really just reminds everyone of somebody passing away,” Tuisl said. “We are honoring those that have served and passed away. We are honoring our Gold Star families, our recent ones, our past ones, as well as our active duty military who continue to serve all around the globe.”
Flags can be purchased for pickup at the venue either online at Operation Support Our Troops’ website or by calling 630-971-1150. A $10 charge is added to the price for flags that are shipped to an address. Both options include the personalized tag and all proceeds support Operation Support Our Troops-America programs.
More information on the display and purchasing a flag, go to www.osotamerica.org/Naperville-healing-field-of-honor.