“The Wall That Heals,” a 250-foot, half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will be open 24 hours a day and accompanied by myriad activities during its Chester County display later this month.
Hopewell United Methodist Church (UMC) and East Brandywine Township will host the replica memorial wall and accompanying mobile education center display, the only Chester County venue on a national tour, according to a township press release.
The exhibition will be available for viewing throughout the day and night from Thursday, July 28, to Monday, Aug. 1, at East Brandywine Township Community Park, 440 Dilworth Rd., Downingtown, Pa., 19335.
Since its debut in 1996, more than two million people have visited “The Wall That Heals” sites. It has made stops in nearly 400 U.S. communities in addition to a tour of Ireland and a visit to Canada. The exhibit includes photos of service members whose names are found on The Wall; letters and memorabilia left at The Wall in D.C.; and a map of Vietnam and a chronological overview of the conflict in Vietnam.
“It is a privilege to have been selected to host ‘The Wall That Heals’ and to provide an opportunity for all residents - especially local veterans and their families – to see the memorial that honors the three million-plus Americans who served during the Vietnam War,” John Neider, pastor of Outreach Ministries at Hopewell UMC, said in the release.
Because of the great response to a call for volunteers, the display will be open throughout the day and night, Neider said.
The Wall That Heals committee has coordinated a number of events to take place while the display is at East Brandywine Park. Beginning on July 27, a police and motorcycle escort will follow the Wall and mobile education center from Uwchlan Township through to the Borough of Downingtown, and eventually out to East Brandywine Park.
On Thursday evening, July 28, a ceremony at 6:30 p.m. brings together veterans, sponsors, elected officials and the public to mark the official opening of the display in Chester County.
Wreath-laying ceremonies will be held by the Downingtown VFW at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, July 29, and by the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 436 at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 30. A brief closing ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 31, before The Wall That Heals travels to its next venue.
With support from USAA, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Charitable Trust, FedEx, and Geico, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) coordinates local stops of “The Wall That Heals” and the accompanying mobile education center. “The Wall That Heals” is transported from community to community by a 53-foot, fifth-wheel trailer with cases built into its sides, allowing it to tell the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the divisive era in American history.
The exhibit includes a mobile education center comprised of: photos of service members whose names are found on The Wall; letters and memorabilia left at The Wall in D.C.; a map of Vietnam and a chronological overview of the conflict in Vietnam. 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.
For more information about The Wall That Heals display in Chester County, and the activities supporting it, visit http://www.ebrandywine.org.
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