The Wall That Heals draws crowd to Crawfordsville
Traveling Vietnam War Memorial offers unique healing, educational experience
By JOHN RECH
news@theeveningtimes.com
The old Crawfordsville schoolyard became hallowed ground last week as the city hosted The Wall That Heals. The three-quarters- sized replica of the Vietnam War Memorial came to town in a procession through the county escorted by veterans on motorcycles. School Students in West Memphis and Marion lined Missouri Street, Highway 77, and Old Military Road as the group parade passed. The memorial stood at Crawfordsville for visitors last Thursday through Sunday.
The Marion High School football team showeed their Patriot pride helping organizers shoulder the load by setting up the panels of the 750-foot-long ‘V’ shaped display. A candlelight vigil warmed hearts Thursday evening at the Wall That Heals and a ceremony at the West Memphis Civic Center honored Vietnam era
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Photos by John Rech
The traveling Vietnam Memorial display The Wall Than Heals was in Crittenden County last week, set up in Crawfordsville.
On its way to Crawfordsville, the Wall was paraded through the community, drawing a crowd of enthusiastic flag wavers on Missouri Street in West Memphis.
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veterans on Saturday.
The memorial remained open to the public around the clock for the duration of the display thanks to volunteers from throughout the community. The Crittenden County Sheriff Department provided security detail for the event.
A slideshow featured Hometown Heroes of 71 war dead from Crittenden, Cross, Lee, Mississippi, Poinsett and St. Francis counties. Photos of the fallen included name, rank, branch of service, both their birthday and casualty day, hometown and the Vietnamese province where their lives ended.
Volunteers served guests answering questions and looking up the specific location of the one of the 58,000 names of individuals memorialized on the wall. Visitors reached out to touch the engraved names or made penciled rubbings on memorial cards.
