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The Brazos Valley honors its Vietnam Veterans every day, not just on holidays! Permanent recognition includes the names of 67 service members Killed In Action (KIA) or Missing In Action (MIA) listed on the Brazos Valley Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Bryan, 3,417 dog tags for Texas KIA/MIA Vietnam Veterans at the Museum of the American G.I. in the Brazos County and the life-size “Hot LZ” helicopter statue at Veterans Park in College Station.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, ending on March 29, 1973, College Station was selected as one of 32 cities, along with two others in Texas, from over 100 cities nationwide to host the The Wall That Heals, or TWTH, in 2023. The Wall That Heals will make its appearance in College Station at Veterans Park from Thursday, April 27 to Sunday, April 30. The free exhibit will be open 24-hours a day to the public to view.
Since its debut in 1996, the exhibit has been on display in more than 700 U.S. communities. The Wall That Heals is a three-fourths-scale replica of the The Wall, which is part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC and includes a mobile Education Center.
The Wall That Heals honors the more than 3 million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Vietnam War and remembers the name of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam. The replica is 375 feet in length and stands 7-and-a-half feet high at its tallest point. Visitors will experience The Wall That Heals rising above them as they walk towards the apex, a key feature of the design of The Wall in DC. Visitors will be able to do name rubbings of individual service member’s names on The Wall.
“The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, or VVMF, is pleased to bring ‘The Wall That Heals’ mobile exhibit to College Station to allow local veterans and their family members a chance to experience The Wall,” says Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF. “Hosting The Wall That Heals provides an opportunity to honor and remember all those who served and sacrificed in the Vietnam War and educate visitors in the continuing impact of the Vietnam War on America.”
The Wall That Heals Aggieland committee is looking for support from the local community as they prepare for The Wall to arrive in the Brazos Valley. There are many volunteer opportunities available for community members as well as a motorcycle escort on Tuesday, April 25. The committee is also looking for sponsorships to help cover the costs of the event, In Honor and In Memory of sponsorships are available at $100.
About The Wall That Heals
The Wall That Heals is a program of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. in 1982. The Wall That Heals is the only traveling exhibit affiliated with The Wall in Washington D.C. and includes the largest Wall replica that travels the county. Two Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund staff members lead volunteers will be onsite to educate visitors and students, and ensure the reflective atmosphere of The Wall. More information can be found at vvmf.org/The-Wall-That-Heals/.
For those interested in volunteering, the escort or sponsorships, visit twthaggieland.com.
Courtesy of The Wall That Heals Aggieland
