WCHS veterans roundtable on will focus on Vietnam

The 2024 Ed Arn Veterans Roundtable will be held Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m. in the schoolhouse on the campus of the Wayne County Historical Society, 546 E. Bowman St., Wooster. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, the panel will consist exclusively of Vietnam veterans who will share their experiences in an open dialogue of questions and answers. The event is free and open to the public.

The veteran panelists include Nevin Nussbaum, Bob Romig and Ken Kitchen, all of whom served in the United States Army, and Russ David and Mark Siedel, who served in the United States Marine Corps. This is the first time any of these veterans has participated in the roundtable event.

The historical society also has a Vietnam exhibit on display in the Kister Building, which will be open to the public free of charge before the event.

“Marking the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, this is a particularly important roundtable,” historical society board member Jeff Musselman said. “Vietnam affected so many families in the Wayne County area, and it’s only right that we gather to remember those veterans from this community. Hearing them share their experiences in Vietnam is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the public and I think very fitting moving into Memorial Day weekend.”

The Ed Arn Veterans Roundtable was begun by the Wayne County Historical Society as a forum for veterans to share their experiences with the public. It was named in honor of the late Ed Arn, a captain in the United States Army during World War II and avid supporter of the historical society.

The Wayne County Historical Society offers tours from March through December on Saturdays at 1 and 2:30 p.m. or by appointment. Learn more at waynehistoricalohio.org or call 330-264-8856.