From draft lottery to local legacy
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Museum display honors Vietnam era history
Editor’s note: This is the final of a two-part series on the Excelsior Springs Museum & Archives’ “Not Forgotten” exhibit. Part Two explores the broader historical context and connection to the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall, while Part One covered the exhibit’s local service stories and displays.Now open at the Excelsior Springs Museum & Archives, the “Not Forgotten” exhibit honors local service members from the Vietnam War era while placing their stories within the national events that shaped a generation. Behind every artifact and photograph is a broader narrative influenced by draft numbers, presidential decisions and a country divided over war.The exhibit connects Excelsior Springs graduates and families to the policies and turning points that defined the period, from troop escalations and Cold War strategy to changing public opinion at home. Vietnam Project Manager and volunteer said organizers wanted visitors to s...