Submitted Photo A Vietnam wall display honoring North Dakota’s fallen heroes serves as the “Homecoming They Never Had.” It will remain in Dakota Square Mall until June 13. Photo by Jennifer Baker of Dakota Square Mall.

With Memorial Day approaching, two Minot businesses are sharing their support for North Dakota’s fallen heroes.

Dakota Square Mall has on display near the SRT towers a 6-foot by 24-foot Vietnam wall with 198 of North Dakota’s veterans lost. This wall was created and designed by Richard Reuer in 2019 and during that time was first displayed at the Grand Hotel during the Vietnam Welcome home program, which is on March 29 each year.

Before the wall was created, Reuer gave a slide presentation at the North Dakota American Legion summer convention in Grand Forks in June of 2015 when he was the American Legion Department chaplain. The slide presentation now is located in the dining area within Pizza Ranch. On the slide presentation there are North Dakota fallen heroes from Iraq, Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf.

Along with these two displays, a pamphlet was put together that shares the meaning behind the folds in the American flag, the meaning of the coins found on the tombstones of veterans, the history of Taps and the words, and history of the military rifle salute.

Inside the pamphlet is an application form for anyone who wishes to sponsor a wreath in honor of our North Dakota fallen heroes. Each year in December, Minot Wreaths Across America has placed nearly 1,000 wreaths in Sections 12 and 16 along with placing wreaths on four Civil War grave stones near Gate 3 and on the entrance of Rosehill Memorial Park cemetery. It placed 19 pillars at the Medal of Honor memorial site at Roosevelt Park and Zoo.

Cash donations for Wreaths Across America are accepted at Pizza Ranch, where a glass collection block labeled “Wreaths Across America – The Christmas They Never Had” sits near the cashier. For every $17 donated, a blank dog tag is placed on the cherry blossom tree in the Pizza Ranch dining area by the restaurant management and staff. Their goal is to have more than 200 dog tags, representing the 198 Vietnam veterans North Dakota lost in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf.

The wall display at the Dakota Square mall will be up until Thursday, June 13. The slide presentation at Pizza Ranch will be on display until after Veterans Day in November.

Along with the display at Dakota Square mall is a Remembrance guest book for visitors who know any of the heroes on the wall and wish to record their names and relationship with the persons. Visitors also may leave a comment about the wall, along with name, city and state.

Two local organizations have requested the wall be displayed in the future at their annual events. Anyone in the Minot area wishing to have this wall displayed can contact Reuer at richardreuer@srt.com.