The Vietnam Traveling Wall, dedicated to those who died in the Vietnam War, will return to the Veterans Memorial Museum in Chehalis to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the war.
The 370-foot-long wall, an 80 percent-scale replica of the memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., will be in set up outside the Chehalis museum from noon Thursday, July 31, to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3. The names of more than 58,000 people who died in Vietnam are etched into the wall.
“This is the wall. You would have to go back east to see the original. This is as close as you can get to the original,” Museum Director Chip Duncan said. “It’s almost a better experience than you will get in Washington, D.C.”
The last time the wall stopped in Chehalis in 2007, more than 10,000 people visited. Duncan said he had to request the wall two years ago to ensure it would be in Chehalis for the 50th anniversary.
Duncan said visiting the wall and learning about those who died in Vietnam is an appropriate way to recognize the veterans and show appreciation.
“This is a generation that is beginning to pass away. This is the time to thank them before they are all gone. A generation is slowly go away unfortunately,” Duncan said.
Guest speakers and authors will share their stories each day the traveling wall is in Chehalis.
The opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1 will feature retired Air Force Lt. Col. Travis Wofford, of Centralia. He was a rescue helicopter pilot who was awarded the Air Force Cross Citation for heroism in military operations in Vietnam.
On Saturday, Aug. 2, retired Army Special Forces Maj. John Plaster, author of six books, will share his experiences while serving three tours in Vietnam.
Following Plaster on Saturday will be New York Times-bestselling mystery author J.A. Jance, who will speak about the losses she experienced of veterans who never came home.
Jance, who visited Centralia in February for a book signing event at the Fox Theatre, was invited and agreed to return to Lewis County to speak and sign books at the veterans museum’s ceremony.
One of Jance’s classmates, Leonard Douglas Davis, was killed in Vietnam 48 years ago. Her friendship with Davis and his fiancee, Bonnie Abney, inspired her recent book, “Second Watch.”
Abney and artist Michael A. Reagan, who has created more than 3,700 portraits of veterans lost in combat, will join Jance on Saturday.
“The amazing part Davis’ fiancee at the time is also going to be coming and she will be able to tell the story. It’s a very unique perspective.” Duncan said.
Events continue on Sunday, Aug. 3, when retired Army Chaplain Lt. Col. Stan Baker, Chehalis, will lead a nondenominational general Protestant service similar to those held in the field during the Vietnam War, Duncan said.
The closing ceremonies will start at 1 p.m. Sunday and feature a talk by retired Army Col. Ron Averill, of Centralia. Averill, a former Lewis County commissioner and instructor at South Puget Sound Community College, served as commander of the Intelligence Center of the Pacific in Honolulu before retiring from his command position in 1989.
The traveling wall will be escorted into Chehalis Wednesday, July 30, by motorcyclists from the Brothers in Arms. A wreath laying ceremony will be held Thursday, July 31.
Museum volunteers will help visitors identify which panel has the name of a lost friend or family member, and uniformed escorts will help them find the panel, Duncan said.
