Rolling Tribute to America’s Heroes: Wartime Memorials to Receive Special Escort into Ashland
Public invited to join Thursday procession, line the route and help assemble memorials at Freer Field
ASHLAND, OH — A powerful tribute to generations of American service members will travel from Mansfield to Ashland as the community prepares to welcome memorials honoring those who served during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
The memorial escort will take place Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, beginning at the historic Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, the famous filming location for The Shawshank Redemption.
Escort organizer Tim Chandler said participants will begin gathering at the reformatory at 10 a.m., with the procession scheduled to depart promptly at 11 a.m.
Chandler emphasized that Thursday is the correct date after inaccurate information listing Wednesday, Aug. 5, began circulating.
“There is a misconception about the Vietnam, Korea and WWII Memorial escort as the date and time,” Chandler explained in a Facebook post. “The date and time has always been, and will remain, Thursday, 6 August 2026, at the Old Mansfield Reformatory.”
Chandler said the incorrect date was simply a mistake, but he wants everyone planning to participate or watch the procession to have the correct information.
Escort Route from Mansfield to Ashland
After departing the Ohio State Reformatory, the procession will travel onto state Route 545 before continuing east on U.S. Route 30.
The escort will then:
Exit onto state Route 42 north toward Ashland
Veer onto Claremont Avenue
Continue to Main Street
Turn east onto Main Street
Turn south onto Center Street
Continue to Freer Field at 1301 Park Street
Once the procession reaches Freer Field, the memorials will be taken to their designated locations and assembled for public display.
Residents are encouraged to line Claremont Avenue, Main Street and Center Street with American flags, patriotic signs and welcoming waves as the memorials make their way through Ashland.
“Anyone can participate in the escort, or line the streets and welcome them to Ashland,” Chandler said.
Community members may also report to Freer Field at approximately noon Thursday to volunteer with the memorial setup.
The moving displays include memorials honoring Americans who served and sacrificed during World War II, the Korean War, often called “The Forgotten War” and the Vietnam War. The memorials will remain on display at Freer Field from Aug. 6 through Aug. 9.
Their arrival will lead into the 2026 Veterans Appreciation Day, scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8, at Freer Field. The public is invited to attend and help honor the men and women who have defended the nation throughout its history.
The event is being presented by the Ashland County Veterans Appreciation Committee.
For veterans, military families and residents across north-central Ohio, the escort will offer more than a procession, it will provide an opportunity to stand together, remember the fallen and show that the sacrifices of America’s heroes will never be forgotten.
