Wall of Honor highlights veterans in Carmichaels
There’s the Army sergeant killed in action in Vietnam buying time so his fellow soldiers could get away. And the military lifer who moved from a fighter pilot to becoming a lawyer at the Pentagon. And the Navy veteran who is still around to tell people his stories at 99.
“There’s probably a lot of stories,” said Carmichaels Activity Center board member Trish Walters of Carmichaels.
Fifty-seven and counting.
Over the past year, the center has been steadily adding new military members to its Wall of Honor.
The idea sprung from a Carmichaels Activity Center board meeting, where someone first suggested finding a way to honor local veterans. After more discussion, they settled on a wall.
Photos of the service members are accompanied by their name, branch, rank and years of service, and in smaller print by the name of the person who suggested them.
Sherry Rotach of White House in Fayette County, who has a background in graphic design, came up with the look. The photos are split across two walls, with the rows bisected on one wall by an American flag and on another by a wall hanging with a bald eagle.
Tables below the photos added touches like a folded American flag, candles and a rose.
Then the members started gathering the names and faces that would fill it.
At one of the center’s weekly Friday dances, an announcement went out for anyone who was interested to submit a family member or someone they know.
“I couldn’t believe how many people came up and were interested in doing it,” Rotach said.
The wall was dedicated on Veterans Day in 2024. Over the past year, it’s grown to include 57 servicemen. They span from center board member Chuck Wilkins’ great-great-grandfather, a Civil War veteran, to some who are still in active duty.
On one wall, Wilkins pointed out “that young kid right there” — that being himself, who served in the Army from 1956 to 1964.
New additions come in through announcements at the dances, or just word of mouth.
Veterans are proud of having the pictures up, Rotach said. And a year in, they still draw the attention of everyone who passes by them.
“The people that can come on Friday nights for events are always coming through and finding somebody new that they didn’t realize was up there,” Rotach said.
People can see the Wall of Honor, and suggest new entries, at Friday’s Veterans Day dance from 7 to 10 p.m. at the center, 100 Nemacolin Rd., Carmichaels. Veterans will be admitted free of charge, and all guests will receive complimentary food.