by Maleny Mireles
The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall is scheduled to appear in South Bend, Indiana from Sep. 19th to Sep. 22nd, 2019.
Modeled to replicate the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC, the traveling wall is a ⅗ scale of that wall and stands 7.5 feet tall at the center and covers almost 375 feet from end to end.
The traveling wall was made to serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made during the Vietnam War. Visiting the wall helps rekindle friendships and gives the opportunity to people who may not be able to visit the wall in Washington DC.
Also called The Wall That Heals it honors more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed forces in the Vietnam War and holds the names of more than 58,000 men and women who sacrificed themselves in Vietnam.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) organized and built The Wall in 1982 with the intentions of giving all veterans and their family members across America an opportunity to visit the memorial.
The Wall is transported to many communities in a 53 foot trailer and the trailer opens with the exhibit built on both sides. It serves as a mobile Education Center that tells the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall, and the era around the conflict.
The mobile Education Center includes the service members whose names are on The Wall, digital photo displays of Vietnam veterans from the local area honored through VVMF’s “In Memory” program which honors veterans who returned home from Vietnam and later passed from their service and video displays that teach about the history of The Wall and of the collections of items representative of those left at The Wall in DC.
The Wall and mobile Education Center is coming to St. Joseph Funeral Home and Cemetery in South Bend, Indiana beginning September 22nd and will be open 24 hours a day and is free to the public.
Executive Vice President of Saint Joseph Funeral Homes and Cemetery, Kathleen Matuszak, believes it’s one of the highlights of her career to be able to bring an iconic piece of history to the community. Ensuring every detail is addressed, Matuszak is assembling a committee to make sure it is the most honorable event.
The plans include a flyover, a special Hometown Hero event, a mass, and resources for veterans and their families.
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