North Texas

Traveling Vietnam Memorial Makes Emotional Stop in Fort Worth

The Fort Worth Stockyards usually serves as a gateway to North Texas's western history, but this week it's also a gateway to another piece of American history.

The Wall That Heals is currently on display in the parking lot of the Stockyards Museum. The wall is made of 24 aluminum panels and is an exact half-sized replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The wall is brought by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund to about 40 different cities across the country every year.

"There's a lot of people all over the country that, for whatever reason, can't make it out there [to Washington], so we bring it to your backyard," said wall manager Patrick O'Neill.

The wall was escorted into the Stockyards Tuesday night by police and members of the Patriot Guard Riders.

Several of the volunteers stationed at the wall's temporary home are local Vietnam veterans who were eager to help the Memorial Fund.

For volunteer Bruce Anderson, of Carrollton, it was also a first opportunity to see the memorial that he's long put off visiting, as he heals his own emotional wounds from the war.

"I didn't know what to expect and stuff, and there were times I got emotional," said Anderson.

The wall will be on display in the 611-661 block of E. Exchange Avenue in Fort Worth, 24 hours a day until 3 p.m. Saturday when organizers will pack it up and move on to the next city.

The Wall that Heals, and the actual Vietnam Veterans Memorial, contain the names of more than 58,000 service members that were killed or went missing during the war.

MORE: The Wall That Heals - Fort Worth, TX

Contact Us