The city of Stephenville in Erath County will host a traveling exhibit called The Wall That Heals in the days leading up to Veterans Day.
The half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. now sits in City Park.
The schedule of events during the multi-day stop includes:
-Opening Ceremony, Wednesday Nov. 6 at 7 p.m.;
-Welcome Home Ceremony, Saturday Nov. 9 at 10 a.m.;
-Veterans Parade, Saturday Nov. 9 at 11 a.m.
"We are delighted that Stephenville was chosen out of 100 applications to be part of the 2019 national tour," said Mayor Doug Svien in a news release from the Stephenville Tourism and Visitors Bureau. "Being the only stop this close to Veterans Day is the perfect fit with our community, because of our strong patriotism and deep respect for our military."
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Stephenville is one of three Texas cities chosen to host The Wall That Heals in 2019. It is the closest stop to historic Fort Wolters in Mineral Wells, which played a significant role in the Vietnam War. Ninety-five percent of all the helicopter pilots who flew in Vietnam, received training at Fort Wolters. It now serves as home to The National Vietnam War Museum.
About The Wall That Heals
The three-quarter scale Wall replica is 375 feet in length and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. With the replica at this size, visitors are able to experience The Wall rising above them as they walk towards the apex, a key feature of the design of The Wall in D.C.
Like the original Memorial, The Wall That Heals is erected in a chevron-shape and visitors are able to do name rubbings of individual service member’s names on The Wall. The names are listed in order of date of casualty and alphabetically on each day. Beginning at the center/apex, the names start on the East Wall (right-hand side) working their way out to the end of that wing, picking up again at the far end of the West Wall (left-hand side) and working their way back in to the center/apex. The first and last casualties are side by side at the apex. The replica is constructed of Avonite, a synthetic granite, and its 144 individual panels are supported by an aluminum frame. Modern LED lighting from the top of The Wall provides readability of The Wall at night.
About the Mobile Education Center
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 mobile Education Center displays includes: digital photo displays of "Hometown Heroes" - service members whose names are on The Wall that list their home of record within the area of a visit; 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 died as a result of their service; video displays that teach about the history and impact of The Wall and of the collection of items representative of those left¬ at The Wall in D.C.; educational exhibits told through items in the collection; a map of Vietnam and a chronological overview of the Vietnam War. The exhibits tell the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the era surrounding the conflict, and are designed to put American experiences in Vietnam in a historical and cultural context.
