COLUMBUS – Ohio and the rest of the nation honors its military veterans Wednesday, mostly from a distance as Americans observe Veterans Day in the midst of a surge in coronavirus cases.
The National Veterans Memorial and Museum downtown is offering free admission and will commemorate the holiday with a series of interactive events, including a ceremony at 10:00 a.m. that will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube with special messages and remarks from television host Montel Williams, a Marine and Navy veteran, and other former service members.
The museum staff will maintain timed spacing between families or other small groups to ensure guidelines on social distancing and other safety measures are observed.
The Hilliard Memorial VFW Veterans Day Commemoration is scheduled for the Hilliard Veterans Memorial at Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park at 7:00 p.m.
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is admitting active-duty military personnel and veterans and their immediate family members free of charge on Wednesday with presentation of military ID. Parking is $10 per vehicle. The offer is limited due to COVID-19 capacity limitations.
Visitors to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton can attend the “Plane Talks” program from 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The program features stories from crew chiefs; engineers; navigators; and pilots, along with other aircraft and missile personnel stationed at aircraft throughout the museum.
In addition, there will be a military-themed display made of LEGO bricks in the WWII Gallery near the B-17 Memphis Belle. The display features replicas of war memorials, including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and replica aircraft such as an F-15 and the B-17 Memphis Belle. It will be on exhibit from Wednesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.