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War Memorial To South Vietnamese & American Soldiers

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-850343.mp3

Wichita Kansas – Arlington Cemetery, the World War II Memorial and more than 50,000 names forever etched into the Vietnam Wall all testify to the ultimate sacrifice paid by countless Americans. Now imagine there's no home country for these memorials. That's the reality for South Vietnamese ex-patriots.

But it could soon change in Wichita. A plan to build a memorial in the city meant to honor South Vietnamese and American soldiers is entering the final stages of approval. But as KCUR's Tim Lloyd found, where to put the memorial is at the center of an emotionally charged debate. UPDATE: The Wichita City Council approved a plan to put the South Vietnamese and American memorial outside of Veterans Park, separated by a six foot dirt wall. Part of the agreement was a new city ordinance that only memorials for American veterans can be included in the park. No side walks will connect the South Vietnamese and American memorial with the rest of the park.

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