Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo The Thomas St. Onge Vietnam Museum is seeking funding for an expansion and upgrades at the facility in Hermansville. At one of the museum’s wall displays of donated items, from left are Thomas St. Onge Chapter 571 Vietnam Veterans of America of Hermansville Secretary Grace Murray, an Air Force veteran who served from 1971-73; Chapter 571 President Lyle Schoen, who served in the U.S. Army from 1974-77; and museum founding member Gerald “Ziggy” Ayotte, who served in the U.S. Army from 1969-70.

HERMANSVILLE — A Hermansville museum named after a local resident who lost his life in the Vietnam War needs room to grow.

The Thomas St. Onge Vietnam Museum is working to obtain the necessary funds for an expansion and upgrades to the current facility.

The proposed plans includes a 28-by-100-square-foot addition to the back of the building, now a covered patio. The new space will feature two more galleries, with several wall and center display cases within those areas.

Another important part of the project would allow for handicap access and onsite restroom facility. Updates to the lights and security cameras in the current museum would be done as well.

“We are in dire need of this expansion,” said museum founding member Gerald “Ziggy” Ayotte, who served in the U.S. Army from 1969-70. “We are at the point we cannot accept any more donations until we get the much-needed space.”

Ayotte added that they have asked donors to keep items in their possession until that time.

“We also want to be able to properly exhibit the existing pieces we have here at the museum,” said Grace Murray, the Thomas St. Onge Chapter 571 Vietnam Veterans of America of Hermansville secretary and Air Force veteran who served from 1971-1973.

Murray has been busy over the past year applying for grants and seeking corporate sponsorship for the costly undertaking.

“It’s been a hard processes,” she said. “The chapter needs to secure a large portion of the funding prior to being able to have an engineer look at the project.”

“Even if we just get enough to get the foundation and the walls at this time,” Ayotte added.

Chapter members stressed the importance of preserving these historical pieces isn’t just for veterans but for everyone, including youth.

The museum annually welcomes North Central Elementary classes to come view the history and learn from local veterans.

“It’s important to keep for future education — learn from the past,” Murray said.

The expansion will allow the museum to accommodate even larger groups

The museum was established in 1996 by VVA Chapter 571 members Ayotte, Ronnie Tomasi and Paul Vinzant.

The chapter was named in honor of Thomas G. St. Onge, who was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade in Vietnam in 1969.

“We are one of three Vietnam Veterans of America chapters left in the U.P.,” Ayotte said.

The VVA members first established a meeting place in the old Hermansville bank, which had been donated to the group by the Wells Fargo Co.

The chapter then voted to have a Vietnam veteran museum in Hermansville, Ayotte said.

“We were outgrowing the space, so later on we sold the bank to raise funds to keep the museum going,” he said.

The present museum, which was built by original chapter members, is on land donated by Anne Louise Lungerhausen, a descendant of Herman Meyer, who established the IXL Flooring Co. around which grew Hermansville.

Ayotte noted they were the first Vietnam museum in the nation, as there is one other early museum in Texas that features mainly photographs and paintings.

The museum originally focused on Vietnam War memorabilia, with the first items donated by chapter members.

“After awhile everyone was bringing in things from different eras — we decided to accept other military pieces, as all were an important part of history,” he said.

They now have photographs, paintings, artifacts from World War I, World War II and the Korean War, as well as from Afghanistan and Iraq.

“These donations came from all over the U.P. and some from northeast Wisconsin,” Ayotte said.

Amanda Whitens, a 2011 art student at North Central High School, painted a mural in the back room of the museum, which limits their wall space, as they don’t want to cover the painting.

Displayed on the grounds are a helicopter, military tank and a ship’s anchor.

“We do have a lot of interesting artifacts that was given to the museum, like a hat that the Vietnamese wore in the fields that came from Houghton,” Ayotte said.

They also feature, from an Iron Mountain resident, the last flag to fly over the Citadel in Vietnam.

Local veteran the late Roger Treves donated his flight helmet and jacket from Vietnam.

They also have handmade Vietnamese musical instruments. “Supposedly you can play them,” he said.

The museum obtained a large book and tape collection from a local Vietnam veteran. “If we ever get a hall space we can show these videos in there,” Ayotte said.

Everything in the museum has been donated, he added. “People that bring us artifacts that specifically want them in our museum,” he said.

“We hope that our vision for the future of the museum become a reality,” Murray said.

As part of their fundraising efforts, the VVA is selling engraved bricks.

Anyone wishing to buy a brick or to donate to the project can contact Murray at 906-448-9633, Ayotte at 906-498-2309 or VVA President Lyle Schoen at 906-221-6531.

The museum, W5547 River St. N. in Hermansville, is currently only open by appointment. Those interested can contact either Murray, Ayotte or Schoen