Renderings from three muralists competing to be commissioned by the Manteca Mural Society to create the Vietnam War mural will be available for review by all veterans and the public on Thursday, Nov. 17.
The viewing will take place at the American Legion Hall, 240 Yosemite Ave. from 10 a.m. to noon.
The three muralists submitting their design for consideration are Jessie Marinas, Ella Yates, and Linda Shrader.
Mural society member Charleen Carroll said input is appreciated. The designs by the artists were based on parameters they were given by the mural society after the organization gained input from Manteca veterans.
The society after selecting the basic mural design typically tweaks it.
The mural will go on the east facing wall on the Manteca Bedquarters at Main Street and Yosemite Avenue next to existing murals depicting the Global War on Terror, the Korean War and World War II. The fifth and final mural will represent World War I.
In the Vietnam War:
uMore than 3 million Americans served in the war.
uThere are still over 1,600 U.S. soldiers missing in action. Efforts to identify remains are still ongoing.
uMore than 58,000 American veterans gave their lives in Vietnam. Over 300,000 were wounded.
uThere were 257 Medals of Honor given during the Vietnam War including one to former Manteca High student and French Camp resident Sammy Davis.
The mural society is currently raising the balance of the $25,000 needed to complete the Vietam War Mural.
Donations can be made by logging on to www.mantecamurals.com and using the PayPal link.
Checks are also accepted and can be sent to Manteca Mural Society, P.O. Box 1666, Manteca CA 95336.
For more information, call Charleen Carroll at 209.823.1386.
A trip to British Columbia inspired Manteca’s high-profile mural undertaking.
The Vietnam War mural will be the 30th mural commissioned by The Manteca Mural Society.
The mural society was launched in 2002 after Tom and Gayl Wilson returned from a vacation that took them to Chemainus, British Columbia.
Tom Wilson, who was involved in the Vision 2020 Task Force consisting of 26 citizens in 1998 that cobbled together a vision for the City of Manteca to pursue in 1998 for downtown and community development over the next 22 years, saw the murals as a way to create a focal point for downtown.
The first mural “1918” graces the eastern facing wall of Century Furniture at Main Street and Yosemite Avenue. It reflects the same street scene a viewer sitting on a bench across the street would have seen from that spot in 1918. It even has a whimsical touch of a mural within a mural.
The mural society’s goal is to use the visual arts as a force to build community pride, to revitalize and enhance the Manteca economy, to promote tourism and build a cultural bridge between the past, present and the future.
The society also sees their endeavor as a way to beautify the city.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com.
