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View Winners → Vietnam veterans memorial wall replica coming to Baldwin Park
San Gabriel Valley Dec 21, 2023
The Wall That Heals stopped by the City of Corona in 2021. | Photo courtesy of City of Corona / Facebook
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The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial along with a Mobile Education Center, is coming to Baldwin Park on March 14-17 at 4100 Baldwin Park Blvd. The exhibit will be open 24 hours a day and free to the public. The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed forces in the Vietnam War, and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.
“The City of Baldwin Park is humbled and honored to host The Wall That Heals on its journey across the country,” said Baldwin Park Mayor Emmanuel J. Estrada. “The sacrifices made by these heroes and their families is a debt we will never be able to repay, so we honor their service by hosting The Wall That Heals. We are grateful for this opportunity for our community to reflect and pay tribute to our Vietnam War veterans.”
“The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is pleased to bring The Wall That Heals mobile exhibit to Baldwin Park to allow local veterans and their family members a chance to experience The Wall,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF. “Hosting The Wall That Heals provides an opportunity to honor and remember all those who served and sacrificed in the Vietnam War and educate visitors on the continuing impact of the Vietnam War on America.”
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 City of Baldwin Park will be The Wall’s third stop on its 2024 nationwide journey across 22 states.
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.
The Mobile Education Center exhibit 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; video displays that teach about the history and impact of The Wall; educational exhibits told through items representative of those left at The Wall in D.C.; a replica of the In Memory plaque; 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.
