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The Rev. Harold Hamon, pastor at Skidmore Christian Church, views dog tags of those who served in conflicts after Vietnam at the Freedom Fest in Skidmore, Mo. The display of dog tags is a part of a traveling replica of the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall. The wall and other memorials can be viewed at Wildcat Park in Skidmore, Mo., through Sunday afternoon.

SKIDMORE, Mo. — Sue Abrams beams when she talks about her brother-in-law, a U.S. Army paratrooper who paid the ultimate price in the Vietnam War.

Ms. Abrams succeeded in locating the name of Sgt. 1st Class David Ray Karr of Quitman, Mo., on a traveling replica of the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall.

“We done found him,” she said Thursday night when asked about her search among the wall’s thousands of names.

The wall — and other tributes to fallen veterans from all wars to the present day — are stationed for this weekend only at Wildcat Park in Skidmore, Mo., for Freedom Fest. Ms. Abrams and other families have already begun the task of “rubbing” impressions of their loved ones’ names etched into the wall.

“It’s nice,” she said of the display.

The military tributes and a memorial to the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks highlight the final Freedom Fest in Skidmore. The city began hosting its veterans’ tributes in 1987. Organizers decided to conclude the festival after more than two decades due to increased concerns for assembling the program.

The American Veterans Traveling Tribute is a multigenerational exhibit of walls and art. The mobile displays will be lit each night through Saturday and remain in place until noon Sunday, according to Freedom Fest chairwoman Carla Wetzel. The replica of the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., also appeared at Freedom Fest in 1996, 1997 and 1999.

“It’s been a year in the making,” Mrs. Wetzel said of the exhibit plans. “This fell into our laps.”

A small group of longtime supporters gathered for a brief opening ceremony in front of the displays.

“There’s such demand for it,” Mrs. Wetzel said. “It’s good for families that can’t go to D.C. ... Look at how many people this affected.”

A group of students from the Nodaway-Holt Elementary School visited Freedom Fest and several hundred more area students are anticipated to travel to Skidmore today, she added.

The Rev. Harold Hamon of the Skidmore Christian Church offered prayers at the service.

“I found a couple of names (on the wall) that meant a whole lot to me,” he said.

Festival co-organizer Cheryl Huston reminded the audience that the names carry lasting memories for each family.

“They loved. They laughed. They cried. They dreamed,” she said.

Today’s schedule features a 9/11 ceremony at 7 p.m., featuring the Rev. John Steer, who met with survivors at the World Trade Center site after the attacks there. The Maryville Fire Department will toll a fire bell in memory of the victims. The Skidmore Fire Department and other area public safety agencies will participate as well, Mrs. Wetzel said.

Ray Scherer can be reached

at rscherer@npgco.com.