The Wall That Heals — Vietnam Veterans Memorial Traveling Wall
Every March 29 is National Vietnam War Veterans Day, a day to thank and honor Vietnam Veterans and their families.
Another way to honor the Vietnam Veterans who fought and paid the ultimate price is to visit a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.
The original Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, unveiled in 1983, is one of the most beautiful and moving monuments in Washington D.C. The wall, designed by Yale architecture student Maya Lin, sits on two acres of land in Constitution Gardens adjacent to the National Mall.
Etched into the 140 panels of black granite are the names of 57,939 Vietnam Veteran service members who died or are still missing in Southeast Asia as part of the Vietnam War. Additional names were added over the years for a total of 58,220 as of May 2018.
Almost three million people a year still visit the monument even though it’s been decades since the war ended. A routine sight at the wall is people placing a piece of paper over the wall and rubbing a crayon or pencil over the name of a loved one.
Almost 25 years ago the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund unveiled a traveling replica called “The Wall That Heals.” Now Americans across the country can admire a three-quarter scale version of the wall. In 2020, multiple organizations with traveling wall replicas are crisscrossing Texas.
Below are the cities and times that the inspiring model wall can be seen, touched and rubbed along with a link to the organizers for more information:
- Mission — March 11 through March 15
- Corpus Christi — March 26 through March 29
- Austin Camp Mabry — April 17 through April 19
2. Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
- Del Rio — March 5 through March 8
- San Antonio — Nov. 12 through Nov. 15
- McCamey — July 2 through July 6
