The Wall That Heals is a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial along with a mobile Education Center. The traveling exhibit honors the more than 3 million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed forces in the Vietnam War and it bears the names of the 58,276 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.
“The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) allows local veterans and their family members a chance to experience The Wall and honor and remember those who have served and sacrificed,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF. “Hosting The Wall That Heals provides an opportunity for healing and an educational experience for visitors on the impact of the Vietnam War on America.”
About The Wall That Heals
The Wall That Heals is transported from community to community in a 53-foot trailer. When parked, the trailer opens with exhibits built into its sides, allowing it to serve as a mobile Education Center telling the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the divisive era in American history.
The three-quarter scale Wall replica is 375 feet in length and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. Visitors will experience The Wall rising above them as they walk towards the apex, a key feature of the design of The Wall in D.C. Visitors are able to do name rubbings of individual service member’s names on The Wall.
Mobile Education Center
The 53-foot trailer that carries The Wall That Heals transforms to become a mobile Education Center. The exterior of the trailer features a timeline of “The War and The Wall” and provides additional information about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Additional exhibits give visitors a better understanding of the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the collection of items left at The Wall.
Displays include:
- Hometown Heroes – Photos of service members on The Wall who list their home of record from the local area. The photos are part of the effort to put a face to every name on The Wall and for the Wall of Faces.
- In Memory Honor Roll – Photos of local Vietnam veterans honored through VVMF’s In Memory program which honors veterans who returned home and later died of Vietnam-related illnesses.
- The Gold Star Bike – Donated to VVMF by the American Gold Star Mothers in 2012, the bike is a Softail Custom Harley that pays tribute to the mothers who lost sons to the Vietnam War.
- Map of Vietnam
- A display of items representative of those left at The Wall in Washington, D.C. in remembrance of those on The Wall.
- Digital kiosk allows visitors to search for names using VVMF’s Wall of Faces.
- Two paper directories allow for names to be found alphabetically.
Donations
National Tour
The national The Wall That Heals tour is generously sponsored by USAA and transported thousands of miles across the country each year through a partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association and the trucking industry.
More than 300,000 people visited The Wall That Heals in 2019. Since its debut in 1996, the exhibit 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. The Wall That Heals is a program of VVMF, 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 country. Two VVMF staff members lead volunteers on site, educate visitors and students, and ensure the reflective atmosphere of The Wall. More information can be found at thewallthatheals.org.
About VVMF
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 continues to lead the way in paying tribute to our nation’s Vietnam veterans and their families. VVMF’s mission is to honor and preserve the legacy of service in America and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War and era through programs, ceremonies and education materials. To learn more about VVMF, visit vvmf.org or call 202-393-0090.
VIRTUAL TOUR:
Take a virtual tour of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to learn more about The Wall and all of the elements that make up the memorial. » https://www.vvmf.org/Virtual-Tour/
