Volunteers placed more than 300 flags in the field in front of Triway High School Friday night as part of the Ohio Flags of Honor Traveling Memorial opening ceremony.
The traveling exhibit, which will be at Triway through Sunday afternoon, grew out of two tragedies: The death of Army Specialist Nicholaus E. Zimmer on May 30, 2004, in an enemy attack in Kufa, Iraq, and the heavy losses suffered by Lima Company, Third Battalion, 25th Marines, Fourth Division about a year later.
Following the death of Nicholaus, an organization was formed to honor the fallen. After the deaths of 25 Marines from Lima Company, most of which were from Ohio, the group wanted to honor them. They set up an “Avenue of Flags” at Rickenbacker Field. These flags of honor eventually led to Gino and Lisa Zimmer to honor their son and others who died during the Global War on Terrorism with the Ohio Flags of Honor traveling display. This is the second time it has come to Wayne County. In 2016, it was on display at the Wooster Campus of the Ohio State University.
Volunteers set up many state and other flags during the day. During the opening ceremony, members of the Winkleman and Runkle Gold Star families placed flags of honor for Damon Winkleman of the Lakeville area and John Runkle Jr. of West Salem, who both died in the War on Terror.
These families were followed by those in attendance until all 301 flags were in place. The majority of the 200 guests helped place the flags. The name of each of the fallen were read prior to the flags being posted in the field.
Before the flag ceremony, Angelo Nuzzo, events coordinator for the Ohio Flags of Honor, called all of the Vietnam era veterans to the front in order to give them “a proper welcome home,” like they should have received nearly five decades ago.
It was an emotional time for some of the veterans, who wiped tears away, as Nuzzo, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, worked his way down the line and saluted each one, shaking their hands, sometimes hugging them, and welcoming them home.
How the Vietnam veterans were treated was one of the motivating factors that led to the formation of the Ohio Flags of Honor. President Gino Zimmer, who will be stepping down as president next year, said that even though he was just a kid, he remembers vividly how the Vietnam veterans were treated. He wanted to create a different experience for the combat soldiers coming home from the War on Terrorism.
The heartbeat of the display is the threefold purpose, Nuzzo said. The exhibit is designed to honor the fallen heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country; let the families of the fallen know people are grateful for their sacrifices; and to be a healing memorial.
Nuzzo recounted two stories: One of an elderly woman who lost a brother during World War II. She never had any closure, until she held one of the flags of honor in her hands.
Another time, Gino Zimmer approached a woman who was crying and asked her if she came out for someone specifically. She said she was a Vietnam War protester and had come to regret what she did. She came seeking forgiveness.
“As far as I am concerned, you are forgiven,” he told her.
Though the fallen are no longer on this Earth, they are still making a difference, Nuzzo said.
Command Sgt. Major Ted Copeland was the featured speaker. He had carried Staff Sgt. Ryan D. Foraker’s flag of honor at the beginning of the ceremony. It was the first person he ever lost under his command, and he remembers him almost every day, Copeland said.
“This is such a great thing,” Copeland said. “It has to be done. We cannot ever forget. To the Gold Star families, I want to thank you.”
When Gino Zimmer was introduced, he was given a standing ovation.
“Please sit down,” he said. “It is not about me. It’s about the men and women behind me.”
Gino Zimmer, who was joined by his wife, Lisa, said he would have loved to have met his son one more time. When his son left, he was a kid who might have colored his hair red or blue and rode his skateboard.
“He turned into a man I never got to meet,” Gino Zimmer said. He wished he could have shook his hand and had one last conversation, “but it wasn’t meant to be.”
Seven men who served with Nicholaus would stop in and visit the Zimmers over the years. In those visits, and in those stories, the Zimmers got to know the man their boy became.
“I didn’t know what kind of person he turned into,” Gino Zimmer said. So, for those who are dealing with survivor’s guilt, he said their purpose was to tell the stories of those who didn’t come home.
“If every combat soldier died in action, that would be horrible,” Gino Zimmer said. There would be no one to tell the stories of the fallen. … You are here to help someone like me. You helped me out a lot. I got to know my son.”
