Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
WAREHAM – A replica of the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial is coming to Wareham next August and a fundraising effort is underway to cover the costs.
“The Moving Wall,” which lists the names of all American military personnel who died in or as a result of the Vietnam War, will be exhibited at the Andersson Track next to Wareham Middle School.
The non-profit Friends of the Wareham Veterans Council will soon start a Go Fund Me campaign and talk to local businesses to raise funds to pay for the replica memorial.
Bob White, the chairman of the Wareham Veterans Council, said the wall provides an opportunity for the community to say thank you to the Vietnam Veterans.
“I see it also as an opportunity for the veterans who never got closure on for it themselves to feel some closure if they have not had a chance to visit the wall in D.C.,” said White.
White said “The Moving Wall,” which is a half-size replica of the memorial in Washington, D.C., is an educational tool for the generations of Americans who have come after the Vietnam War.
“There are a lot of generations that have come since that really have only heard about it,” White said. “They never really felt the pain and agony not only during the war, but as the soldiers returned.”
White is a Vietnam War veteran who was stationed in the Azores, which he said was about as far from the action as a soldier could be.
“I never really felt much of a part of the agony of the situation,” White said. “So it’s an opportunity for me to say thank you to the guys that actually had to go there.”
White said visiting the memorial in Washington D.C. was one of the most moving experiences he has ever had looking at a monument.
“You just want to stand there and cry thinking that all these people, all these men, have died in an effort that was at the time to be in the interest of national security,” White said.
Bringing “The Moving Wall” to Wareham is the Veterans Council’s most important and high visibility project. In the future, other projects will be centered on patriotic holidays, according to White.
The wall will be on display from August 17-21 and around 30,000 visitors are expected.
Anyone interested in volunteering or making donations can contact Friends of the Wareham Veterans Council Pesident Jean Sarnelli by phone at 508-295-0440.
By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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