MONDAY, MAY 26, 2008
(Philadelphia) - The Delaware Valley Veterans for America (DVVA) has presented "A Sea of Tombstones: The Cost of War" this Memorial Day weekend at Independence National Park. The display will end today at 5pm. The display is a replica of Arlington Cemetery with tombstones recognizing and remembering the more than 4,000 American servicemen and servicewomen who have given their lives in Iraq since the start of the war.
The cemetery display is designed to remind visitors of the cost of the war in Iraq in American lives as our nation observes Memorial Day. Local veterans have been on site throughout the weekend to share stories of the anguish of this war with people who visit the display.
In the years since the start of the war, DVVA and the other co-sponsoring groups have placed this somber and sobering exhibit at the site of the birthplace of America for the past several years. Thousands of visitors to the national park have stopped to survey the tombstones, many left speechless and some moved to tears. Each year since the exhibit began, the number of war dead has increased; this year, unfortunately, the number of tombstones is simply too large to display in space provided by the National Parks service to the veterans organization, so the full magnitude of the cost of the war regrettably will not be visible.
DETAILS
WHAT: "A Sea of Tombstones: The Cost of War"
WHERE: 500 block of Market Street, Philadelphia (North side, next to the Independence Visitors Center)
WHEN: Friday, Mary 23, through Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, 2008
SPONSOR: Delaware Valley veterans for America
CO-SPONSORS:
Penn Action
Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Iraq War Veterans Against the War
After the War - Iraq Veterans Self-Help Project
Philadelphia Regional Anti-War Network
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(Philadelphia) - The Delaware Valley Veterans for America (DVVA) has presented "A Sea of Tombstones: The Cost of War" this Memorial Day weekend at Independence National Park. The display will end today at 5pm. The display is a replica of Arlington Cemetery with tombstones recognizing and remembering the more than 4,000 American servicemen and servicewomen who have given their lives in Iraq since the start of the war.
The cemetery display is designed to remind visitors of the cost of the war in Iraq in American lives as our nation observes Memorial Day. Local veterans have been on site throughout the weekend to share stories of the anguish of this war with people who visit the display.
In the years since the start of the war, DVVA and the other co-sponsoring groups have placed this somber and sobering exhibit at the site of the birthplace of America for the past several years. Thousands of visitors to the national park have stopped to survey the tombstones, many left speechless and some moved to tears. Each year since the exhibit began, the number of war dead has increased; this year, unfortunately, the number of tombstones is simply too large to display in space provided by the National Parks service to the veterans organization, so the full magnitude of the cost of the war regrettably will not be visible.
DETAILS
WHAT: "A Sea of Tombstones: The Cost of War"
WHERE: 500 block of Market Street, Philadelphia (North side, next to the Independence Visitors Center)
WHEN: Friday, Mary 23, through Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, 2008
SPONSOR: Delaware Valley veterans for America
CO-SPONSORS:
Penn Action
Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Iraq War Veterans Against the War
After the War - Iraq Veterans Self-Help Project
Philadelphia Regional Anti-War Network
###