NEWBURGH – The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund describes the Wall that Heals exhibit as a replica of the actual wall located in Washington D.C. and a mobile education center dedicated to spreading the healing legacy of the Vietnam War and educates about its impacts. The Wall that Heals was located this past weekend at the People’s Waterfront Park in Newburgh, New York.
The Wall, which lists all Americans killed during the war, was open to visitors 24-hours-a-day from August 2-5. This was the only official stop in New York State for the 2018 tour.
During opening ceremonies on Thursday, Ret. Col. Russell Vernon reminded those in attendance that 58,318 Americans never came home, and all of their names are on the wall.
“Thirty-nine thousand, nine-hundred and ninety-six of those were 22 years old or younger; 33,103 were just 18 years old; 997 of them were killed on their first day in country; 1,148 killed on their last day; 153 of them were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor; 273 of them were trained just south of us at West Point,” he said.
Tim Tetz, the director of Outreach for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund said The Wall that Heals was initially dedicated in 1982, but in 1996 the replica wall and mobile education center was constructed and taken on tour “to help share the healing power of the wall.” He said each year the wall is taken on tour making anywhere between 35 and 40 stops, Newburgh being one of 38 stops this year.
The exhibit was open to the public through Sunday evening.
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