ATHENS — “The Wall That Heals,” a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, is coming to Athens next week.
“Athens State University is grateful to have been chosen as one of 31 sites for the 2025 ‘The Wall That Heals Tour’,” said Dr. Keith Ferguson, vice president for university advancement. “Through a partnership with the city of Athens, the Limestone County Commission, the Limestone County legislative delegation, and the Alabama Veterans Museum, we are able to make this a reality for all of the Tennessee Valley and beyond.
“We look forward to working with the (Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund) as we create an experience that honors all of our service members.”
The public is invited along the escort route around noon Tuesday. The exhibit will travel on U.S. 72 from the public boat launch in Rogersville east into Athens.
Then, the escort will turn left on U.S. 31 and left on Hobbs Street, arriving at Athens State’s Beasley Field between 12:30 and 1 p.m.
The exhibit’s construction will start at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Volunteers are sought to help with setting it up, taking it down, and to support the exhibit around the clock.
Volunteer Roles
- Greeters and guides
- Parking and traffic assistants
- Overnight watch and site security
- Set-up and take-down crews
- Support for ceremonies and special events
- Volunteer check-in and hospitality
To volunteer, click here.
The attraction, which includes a mobile Education Center, will be open 24 hours a day Thursday through Sunday. There is no charge to visit.
“The Wall That Heals” honors the more than 3 million Americans who served in the 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 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is pleased to bring ‘The Wall That Heals’ mobile exhibit to Athens to allow local veterans and their family members a chance to experience The Wall,” said Fund President and CEO Jim Knotts. “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 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 long and 7 1/2 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 displays 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.
Debuting in 1996, “The Wall That Heals” is the only traveling exhibit affiliated with The Wall in Washington. It is a program of VVMF, the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1982.
For more information, visit www.thewallthatheals.org.
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