Many men and women of the military have lost their lives since the fateful day the United States was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, 12-years ago today.
A touring exhibit, called “Remembering Our Fallen” at the Kansas State Fair seeks to honor and remember those who died during the subsequent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The display is a joint effort between Patriotic Productions and Bellevue University. It originated in 2010 when Bill and Evonne Williams of Omaha, Neb. sought to find a way to publicly pay tribute to those in the military who have undergone the ultimate sacrifice. They have four sons in the military, two in the Army and two in the Marines. So they understand the worry felt by families and have seen the sadness felt by those who lost a loved one. They formed Patriotic Productions as a way to focus their patriotic efforts.
In November, 2010, with the support of the Omaha World-Herald newspaper, and support of financial sponsors, an exhibit was created for the Strategic Air & Space Museum in Ashland, Neb. This exhibit included photos of Nebraskans and Iowans who died in The War on Terror since September 11, 2001. Due to the overwhelming turnout of associated families and general public, they soon felt that the project should be completed in other states as well.
Kansans have the opportunity to view the display in the Oz Gallery during the Kansas State Fair and reflect on the pictures and the handwritten notes.