'The Wall That Heals' is coming 
PUTNAM — The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial along with a mobile Education Center, is coming to Putnam Sept. 10 through 13, at Murphy Park. It will be open 24 hours a day and free to the public.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Replica Wall and Mobile Education Center spreads the healing legacy of The Wall and educates about the impact of the Vietnam War.  The Wall That Heals honors the more than 3 million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Vietnam War, and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.
“As your Mayor, it is my privilege to welcome The Wall That Heals to Putnam. As a Vietnam veteran, it is my honor. This exhibit belongs in communities like ours — small towns with big hearts that sent their sons and daughters to serve and never stopped waiting for them to come home.” -Mayor of Putnam, Barney Seney.
“The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is pleased to bring The Wall That Heals mobile exhibit to Putnam to allow local veterans and their family members a chance to experience The Wall,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF. “Hosting The Wall That Heals provides an opportunity to honor and remember all those who served and sacrificed in the Vietnam War and educate visitors on the continuing impact of the Vietnam War on America.”
The Wall That Heals is transported from community to community in a 53-foot trailer. When parked, the trailer opens to reveal exhibits built into its sides, allowing it to serve as a mobile Education Center that tells the story of the Vietnam War, the establishment of The Wall, and how the Memorial and Vietnam transformed the way our nation treats its veterans and service members.
The three-quarter-scale Wall replica is 375 feet long and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. Visitors will experience The Wall rising above them as they walk towards the apex, a key feature of The Wall’s design in D.C. Visitors can do name rubbings of individual service members’ names on The Wall.
The mobile Education Center exhibit includes two digital photo displays. The Hometown Heroes display highlights service members whose names are on The Wall, and who list their home of record within the area of a visit. The In Memory display highlights Vietnam veterans from the local area honored through VVMF’s In Memory program, which honors veterans who returned home from Vietnam and later died. Additional displays include videos that teach about the history and impact of The Wall; educational exhibits told through items representative of those left at The Wall in D.C.; a replica of the In Memory plaque; a map of Vietnam and a timeline of the Vietnam War. The exhibits tell the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the era surrounding the conflict.
They are designed to put American experiences in Vietnam in a historical and cultural context.
USAA has returned as a presenting sponsor for the 12th year. Over the past decade, it has traveled to more than 300 communities with VVMF. Wipfli is returning as a sponsor for the second year. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wipfli is an advisory and accounting firm with more than 3,300 associates who deliver digital, people, strategy, risk, financial, and outsourcing solutions to nearly 56,000 clients.
Through partnerships with the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), the trucking industry, and Blue Beacon, the exhibit can travel across the country. Local Medal of Honor sponsors already include bankHometown and the Putnam Area Foundation.
To learn more about how to get involved with The Wall That Heals in Putnam, follow us at thewallthathealsputnam2026.org. Or call: 860-963-6800 ext. 161. Email: or the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
Since its debut in 1996, the exhibit has been on display in more than 800 U.S. communities, including an April 1999 tour of the Four Provinces of Ireland and a visit to Canada in 2005. The Wall That Heals is a program of VVMF, the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. in 1982. The Wall That Heals is the only traveling exhibit affiliated with The Wall in Washington, D.C., and features the largest Wall replica to travel the country.
Two VVMF staff members lead volunteers on site, educate visitors and students, and ensure the reflective atmosphere of The Wall. More information can be found at: www.thewallthatheals.org.
About VVMF: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) in Washington, D.C. in 1982. VVMF continues to lead the way in paying tribute to our nation’s Vietnam veterans and their families. VVMF’s mission is to honor and preserve the legacy of service in America and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War and era through programs, ceremonies, and education materials. To learn more about VVMF, visit www.vvmf.org or call 202-393-0090.

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Hometown Heroes
Sgt. Alfred Wilder Merriam, killed in action in Philippines
By Michael Rocchetti
Summer in the Philippines is very tropical — hot, humid, and wet, especially on the Island of Luzon. It was on a day such as this, July 3, 1900 when a detachment of 20 men from Company H, Third U.S. Volunteer Infantry Regiment, under the command of Sergeant Alfred W. Merriam, was scouting the country in the vicinity of Hagonoy, Bulacan Province, Luzon, PI, in search of the robbers of the steamer “Filipino,” when they were ambushed 1-1/2 miles from the coastal fishing village of Tibaguin by insurgents. 
Reinforcements under Second Lieutenant J. H. Page, 3rd U.S. Infantry, arrived later, and the insurgents were defeated with a loss of 12 killed. Six rifles were captured and 6 more destroyed. Three U.S. soldiers were killed, and 2 men were wounded. Sadly, Sergeant Merriam was one of those soldiers killed during the engagement. He was shot through the neck and died instantly.
Alfred Wilder Merriam was born March 30, 1875 in Putnam, the son of Alfred Merriam (1821-1891) and Ada (Lawrence) Merriam. At the age of 21, he was enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 30, 1895 at Fort Trumbull, New London, by Lt Reed. At that time, he listed his occupation as “brakeman.
His physical attributes were listed as follows: eyes, blue; hair, light brown; complexion, fair; height, 5'-9.5"; He enlisted as a Private in the 2nd Artillery Regiment, Battery K. He was discharged as a Sergeant at the expiration of his term March 29, 1898, at Fort Schuyler, N.Y. He left with an “excellent” rating.
On April 9, 1898, he was re-enlisted at Fort Schuyler by Lt Krayenbuhl. He enlisted into the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, Company H. At that time the unit had just completed a deployment to Cuba and had returned to their garrison at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. On Oct. 5, 1898, a force of about 80 men—including soldiers of the 3rd Infantry, U.S. Marshals and Indian Police—fought in the Battle of Sugar Point against 17 members of the local Pillager Band of Chippewa Indians near the Leech Lake Reservation. The U.S. forces lost 6 soldiers and one Indian Police officer killed and another 14 wounded. There were no casualties among the Chippewa. The Battle of Sugar Point was the last battle fought between the U.S. Army and Native Americans. 
The 3rd Infantry was then redeployed to the Philippines, and sailed from New York on Feb. 3, 1899 aboard the U.S. Army transport Ship USS Sherman. It reached Manila, the Philippines on March 22, 1899 via the Suez Canal.
After Sergeant Merriam was killed-in-action, his body was sent back home to his family in Putnam, and he was buried at the Grove Street Cemetery, Putnam. The local post of the Spanish War veterans was named in his honor – the Alfred Wilder Merriam Camp #16, United Spanish War Veterans.
Unfortunately, we don’t have any pictures of Sergeant Merriam, but we included a picture of an iconic Spanish-American War statue, called “the Hiker”. There are over 50 of these bronze statues throughout the U.S. They were made in Providence, and there is one in that city, and there is one in Meriden.
During the period of 1898 through 1902, there were approximately 186 men from the local area who served on land and at sea during the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American War, and the Boxer Rebellion in China. Their stories will soon be published in the “Hometown Heroes of the Quiet Corner” book series, 2026 Volume 6, the Spanish-American War Edition, published by the Mayotte-Viens Post #13, American Legion, Putnam.
Hometown Heroes books can be purchased online at: https://hometown-heroes-of-the-quiet-corner.myshopify.com/  - all proceeds benefit the local American Legion Post. Hometown Heroes is a series published in the Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger with this mission: We owe it to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to make sure that they are never forgotten, and that the memory of their service and sacrifice will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the grateful people of Putnam.

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30th birthday gift: 2 ½ tonsof drugs collected
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Stunning number. Two and one-half tons.
This year marks the 30th year of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
Substance Abuse Program Director at the Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center, Romeo Blackmar, has been with it from the beginning.
He and the Putnam Elks, the Putnam Lions, and the Putnam Police Department have seen 2 ½ tons of unused drugs and related paraphernalia collected — with little sign of abating.
Thirty years ago, Blackmar said: “I got a call from then Chief of Police Rick Hayes while I was attending the Mid-Year CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) conference in Phoenix.  It was July of 2010 and he said that the Putnam PD and PRIDE should team up with the DEA to do the very first Drug Take Back Day in Putnam.  At the time we were the only town in the 10-town area to participate. Back then the Putnam Elks helped PRIDE and the PD with the process.”
He said the average collection twice a year (the last Saturday in April and the last Saturday in October) is usually more than 150 pounds. The April 25 collection at the Farmers Market pavilion filled six boxes and weighed in at 128 pounds, according to Debbie Barbour of the Putnam Lions. Those boxes are destroyed by the Drug Enforcement Agency.
In addition, there is a drop box in the Putnam Police Department’s lobby 24/7/365. No questions asked. 
Blackmar said in 2013 Putnam PRIDE purchased that Medication Drop Box for the police station.  “At that time we thought that the semi-annual Drug Take Back Day would have reduced participation.  The Drop Box has continued to be used and emptied weekly.”
Asked what changes he’s seen in the last 30 years, Blackmar said: “Over the years we have seen a wider range of drugs being collected.  The opioid crisis precipitated the biggest changes.  We have seen the ‘over prescribing’ of opioid medications result in those highly dangerous pills being misused.  This resulted in more overdoses and deaths.”
He added: “I believe that Drug Take Back days have been beneficial in removing abused medications from medicine cabinets and continues to prevent overdoses in communities.”
“Law enforcement is tasked with stopping the supply of illegal drugs coming into our communities; it is up to the rest of us to stop the demand for illegal drugs and the misuse of legally prescribed medications.”

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From left: Romeo Blackmar, Lion Sheila Coderre, Police Chief Christopher Ferace and police officer and SRO Kyle Maheu. Below: Members of the Putnam Lodge of Elks 574 also took part. Linda Lemmon photos.