The Vietnam War was a divisive time in our Country. Over 58,000 servicemen and servicewomen lost their lives. On Veterans Day 1996, the Veterans Memorial Fund unveiled a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Its purpose is to help heal.
“March 29, 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War,” stated Caldwell Mayor Misty Wells. “Noble County has six names on the Memorial Wall that made the ultimate sacrifice. We are honored to be hosting the traveling Wall that Heals this very special year. We are planning an event to remember the soldier’s that served and the families of those who never made it home.”
The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and a mobile Education Center, will be viewable in Caldwell, Ohio, October 19-22. The exhibit is free and open 24 hours a day.
It pays tribute to over 3 million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Vietnam War. The wall itself includes the names of 58,281 men and women who died while serving in the war.
Like the original memorial, The Wall That Heals is erected in a chevron shape, and visitors are invited to do rubbings of individual service members’ names. The names are listed in order of date of casualty and alphabetically on each day. Beginning at the center/apex, the names start on the East Wall, working their way out to the end of that wing, picking up again at the far end of the West Wall and working their way back into the center/apex. The first and last casualties are side by side at the apex of the Memorial.
The Wall That Heals allows the lives enshrined on the Memorial to exist one more time among family and friends. It provides veterans unable to travel and face The Wall a chance to find the courage to visit and begin the healing from the comfort of their community.
Mobile Education:
The mobile education center features a timeline of “The War and The Wall.” It provides additional information about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. It allows visitors to have a better understanding of the legacy.
Displays include Hometown Heroes – Photos of members on The Wall who list their home of record from the local area. The photos are part of The Wall of Faces, an effort to put a face to every name inscribed on The Wall.
In Memory Honor Roll – Photos of local Vietnam veterans honored through VVMF’s In Memory program, which honors veterans who returned home and later died.
A replica of the In Memory plaque that resides on the grounds of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site in Washington, D.C., reads: “In Memory of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War and later died as a result of their service. We honor and remember their sacrifice.”
Items left behind – displays items representing those left at The Wall in remembrance of those on The Wall.
Since The Wall That Heals debuted, the exhibit has been on display in more than 700 U.S. communities. In 1999 it toured the Four Provinces of Ireland, and a visit to Canada in 2005. The Wall that Heals is a program of VVMF, the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 1982. It is the only traveling exhibit affiliated with The Wall in Washington, D.C., and includes the largest Wall replica that travels the country.
To see if The Wall That Heals is coming to a town near you, visit vvmf.org/The-Wall-That-Heals.
About VVMF
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) in Washington, D.C., in 1982. VVMF continues to lead the way in paying tribute to our nation’s Vietnam veterans and their families. VVMF’s mission is to honor and preserve the legacy of service in America and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War and era through programs, ceremonies, and educational materials. To learn more about VVMF, visit www.vvmf.org or call 202-393-0090.
