The Wall That Heals, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will be at E. Carroll Joyner Park on Harris Road for four days, Oct. 18 through Oct. 21, and area residents are invited to the welcoming ceremony at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18, near the exhibit.
The Wall and its mobile education center will be open and free to everyone 24 hours a day beginning at 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, through 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21.
Organizers are still working out the welcoming ceremony details, but one of the highlights promises to be a flyover by the Bandit Flight Team. Based in Raleigh, the Bandit Flight Team is a group of highly trained experienced pilots who combine their love of flying with an appreciation for vintage military aircraft. The Bandits fly their aircraft to preserve the military warbird heritage and as an opportunity to salute returning war veterans. Additional details, including the name of the featured speaker, will be announced soon.
The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. armed forces in the Vietnam War and bears the names of the more than 58,000 men and women died in Vietnam.
Wake Forest will be among the first to host the new, larger exhibit, which includes a three-quarter scale Wall replica that is 375 feet in length and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. With the new replica at this size, visitors will be able to experience The Wall rising above them as they walk towards the apex, a key feature of the design of The Wall in Washington, D.C.
For the first time in the history of The Wall That Heals, visitors will be able to perform name rubbings of individual service member’s names on The Wall.
The exhibit also includes a mobile Education Center which has digital photo displays of Hometown Heroes – service members whose names are on The Wall that list their home of record within the area of a visit; digital photo displays of Vietnam veterans from the local area honored through the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s In Memory program which honors veterans who returned home from Vietnam and later died as a result of their service; video displays that teach about the history and impact of The Wall and the collection of items left at The Wall in D.C.; educational exhibits told through items in the collection; a map of Vietnam; and a chronological overview of the Vietnam War.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is one of the most visited memorials in our nation’s capital, with more than 5.2 million visitors each year. However, many Americans have not been able to visit what has become known to many as The Wall.
The Wall That Heals made its debut in 1996 and since then has been on display in nearly 600 U.S. communities in addition to an April 1999 tour of the four provinces of Ireland and a visit to Canada in 2005. Last year alone, more than 250,000 people visited The Wall That Heals. Hosting The Wall That Heals provides a community with a multi-day experience that includes an educational experience for local schools and organizations on the history of the Vietnam era and The Wall.
Wake Forest has the honor of being the only town in North Carolina scheduled to host the exhibit. Local sponsors include the Wake Forest Purple Heart Foundation and the Town of Wake Forest. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, email Crystal Carlson at ccarlson@susaf.org<mailto:ccarlson@susaf.org>.
For more information, visit www.wakeforestnc.gov/the-wall-that-heals.aspx<http://www.wakeforestnc.gov/the-wall-that-heals.aspx> and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/twthwakeforestnc/<http://www.facebook.com/twthwakeforestnc/>.
The three-quarter scale Wall replica is 375 feet in length and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. Like the original Memorial, The Wall That Heals is erected in a chevron-shape and for the first time in the history of The Wall That Heals, visitors will be able to perform name rubbings of individual service member’s names on The Wall.
The replica is constructed of Avonite, a synthetic granite, and its 144 individual panels are supported by an aluminum frame. Machine engraving of the more than 58,000 names along with modern LED lighting provide better readability of The Wall day and night.
The names on The Wall That Heals replicate the names on The Wall in Washington, D.C. As on The Wall, the names are listed alphabetically by day of casualty. Beginning at the center/apex, the names start on the East Wall (right-hand side) working their way out to the end of that wing, picking up again at the far end of the West Wall (left-hand side) and working their way back in to the center/apex.
A new 53-foot trailer transports The Wall That Heals from community to community. When parked, the trailer opens with exhibits built into its sides, allowing it to serve as a mobile Education Center. This unique educational experience gives visitors a better understanding of the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the collection of items left at The Wall.
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 is dedicated to honoring and preserving the legacy of service in America and educating all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War and era through programs, ceremonies and education materials.
One Response
Thank you for including the fact that we will be able to make rubbings of our lost veterans’ names. Hopefully more information will come out on what materials are permissible, so visitors are prepared.