“The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall ®”
Remember ~ Honor ~ Educate
Not only does the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. reach into the depths of most visitors soul, but so do the traveling wall replicas.
The memorial in Washington sits on a 2-acre prime location. Each section of The Wall is 246 feet and 9 inches long. The total length is 493 feet and 6 inches. At the highest point, it is 10 feet and 3 inches. It was completed and dedicated on November 13, 1982. During the 1982 week-long commemorative celebrations, a visitor was so moved by his experience it motivated him to recreate his experience.
With the help of his friends and using his finances, John Devitt founded Vietnam Combat Veterans, LTD. They built a half-size replica, naming it “The Moving Wall”. Its first appearance was Tyler, TX, in 1984. Requests for a visit from towns across the country were so great waiting lists quickly became lengthy. To assist in meeting the demand, a second wall was built by Vietnam Combat Veterans and again in 1989 for a third moving wall.
Each time “The Moving Wall” is displayed, it has been estimated it brings 5,000 to more than 50,000 visitors during it's 5 to 6-day appearance. In 2004, the first of the structures to retire was put on permanent display. The Veterans Memorial Amphitheater in Pittsburg, Kansas is home for stationary “The Moving Wall” memorial. On display 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There is no admission fee.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, “Wall That Heals” is a half-scale replica unveiled on Veterans Day in 1996. Jan Scruggs, Army veteran founded The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund which built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. www.vvmf.org offers name rubbings of The Wall in Washington and a multitude of information.
Sunday afternoon BRMNews talked to Gary & Judy Spence from Etowah, NC. With them they carried a list of names hoping to find where they were on the wall of over 58,000 names. Volunteers and veterans traveling with the wall were on hand to offer assistance.
Open 24 hours for all five days and manned at all times, volunteers did not go hungry. They were treated by Dairy Queen Grill & Chill of Blue Ridge. Owners Joe and Cilla Cippolo are well known in Fannin County and surrounding areas for their continuous support of all veterans and related veteran events.
The traveling wall visiting Blue Ridge, GA from October 3 through 7, is Vietnam and All Veterans of Brevard, Inc. ,“The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall ®”. It is a 3/5 scale which translates to approximately 300 feet. The center point comes in at 6 feet. There was little history and no more information available. Those on duty couldn't add more information.
With projected expectations of near 50,000 visitors to “The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall ®”during it's 5 days in Blue Ridge, by Event Coordinator Elaine Owens, it was an unpleasant surprise to find so few people taking the time to honor Vietnam Veterans. Volunteers estimated as of Sunday morning, attendance was just over 3,000.
Many cities plan for months, even years before the arrival of a traveling wall. It is an important event, not to take lightly. With dates often scheduled months out, sponsors or Event Coordinators of larger events like to take the opportunity to work with the community. Younger generations are more removed each year from the turmoil of the war years and it's returning soldiers, so education is important. The history, the sacrifices and the essence of what the traveling wall represents is essential.
Not only are there differences among all traveling walls, but so too is the expense to bring them into a community. These expenses for hosting an event can be substantial and distract from the very reason for presenting a traveling wall. When concentration focuses on fundraising efforts, educational opportunities are lost.
As far as our living Vietnam veterans, the effects of war on those who served in Vietnam are still influencing their lives in many ways. According to Answers.com: “Eight Vietnam Veterans die every day. Vietnam Veterans are dying faster than World War Two veterans due to Agent Orange contamination.” Another source had it as high as 390 a day. Eight or 390, it means too many may have walked on without a simple act of kindness that should have been afforded them years ago.
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The war ended over 40 years ago, but there are still Vietnam veterans
today who have not been positively acknowledged for their service. You
will never know just how much a simple act of kindness means until a Vietnam veteran tracks you down and you look into their eyes. You don't always hear their "thank you, thank you" because the unsaid, said it all.
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The question is now, what will you do? Will you buy the veteran behind you their meal or groceries and thank them? Will you take the family to visit a nursing home and spend moments with veterans no longer able to live on their own? Will you ask your veteran neighbor if there's something needing done? Will you just take the time to stop and shake the hand of the veteran who walked by you? In other words, will you make a simple sacrifice for one of the many who've made sacrifices (plural) for you? Can you do it more than once?