‘The Wall that Heals,' the Vietnam Wall is coming to the Reagan Library November 18th – November 22nd, 2015.

(Photo courtesy of ‘The Wall That Heals' – Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation.)

Vietnam Wall Comes to the Reagan Library

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands as a symbol of America's honor and recognition of the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War. Inscribed on the black granite walls are the names of more than 58,000 men and women who gave their lives or remain missing. Yet the Memorial itself is dedicated to honor the “courage, sacrifice and devotion to duty and country” of all who answered the call to serve during one of the longest wars in U.S. history. The Wall was built by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, who now take The Wall That Heals, a half-scale replica of The Wall, around the country.

The Wall That Heals will open at the Reagan Library at noon on Wednesday, November 18^th and will remain open around the clock until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 22nd.

Accompanying The Wall replica is a mobile Education Center that displays the photos of some of the service members whose names are found on The Wall.

Community members looking to volunteer at The Wall (four-hour shifts around the clock) should sign-up at: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e48aaa723a1f85-volunteer1.

For more information, please visit www.reaganlibrary.com/VietnamWall or call 805-522-2977.

Additional related events surrounding ‘The Wall that Heals' includes:

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Collection (Nov. 6th – Nov. 30th) – Shortly after its dedication, visitors to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial began leaving items in memoriam to those killed and missing service members listed on The Wall. The collection is housed in a National Park Service facility in Maryland that is not open to the public. The Reagan Library is honored to showcase a collection of these items in a Vietnam Veterans exhibit that will run the month of November (regular museum admission applies to visit the exhibit).Items on display include handwritten letters, American flags, trophies, and other sentimental items left at The Wall. The Reagan Library has included additional items for display from its collection, including John McCain’s POW bracelet and a POW flag, carried by 200 Vietnam Veterans from Alamosa, CO to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park in Angel Fire, NM in 1988.
Opening Ceremony (Nov. 19th) – Please join us at 10:00 a.m. for a public opening ceremony for The Wall That Heals. The event will be held outdoors by The Wall on the Reagan Library’s White House South Lawn replica. The event will include live music, an honor guard, and special remarks, which include the reading of all 106 Ventura County residents’ names that are on The Wall.There is no charge to attend this event, however reservations are recommended by visiting www.reaganlibrary.com/events.
Hometown Heroes (Nov. 19th) – Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s Hometown Heroes Service Learning Project aims to collect stories and photos of those veterans whose names are on The Wall and those who returned home from the Vietnam War. Students in our local community have learned about local veterans who served and sacrificed during the Vietnam War, as well as other military conflicts in our nation’s history.The 11th grade students of Chatsworth Charter High School have created an exhibit sharing the stories they’ve learned about our Hometown Heroes and that exhibit will be on display from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. in our Presidential Learning Center Auditorium. In addition, a handful of the students will conduct a special presentation from 11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. on their Hometown Hero.
Ask a Veteran (Nov. 20th) – Please join us near The Wall That Heals to meet and speak with local Veterans who are there to answer your questions. Veterans will rotate out every hour on the hour between 9am and 3pm, answering questions from 9am until 4pm.
Movie Screening: “Brave! Common Men, Uncommon Valor” (Nov. 21st) – Please join us on Saturday, November 21st at 1:00 p.m. for a free movie screening of an extraordinary documentary in our main auditorium. Bravo! Common Men, Uncommon Valor tells the very personal story of Bravo Company, First Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment, a regiment of young men, untested, mostly new to Vietnam, who were trapped in one of the worst sieges in the history of American warfare, the siege of Khe Sanh. GI Film Festival Winner for Best Documentary!

For more information about these events, please visit www.reaganlibrary.com/events. There is no charge to view ‘The Wall that Heals,' or attend the ‘Opening Ceremonies', ‘Hometown Heroes', ‘Ask a Veteran', or ‘Movie Screening: “Brave! Common Men, Uncommon Valor” events.

About the Reagan Library:

The Reagan Library and Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Located at 40 Presidential Drive in Simi Valley, the Museum admission fees are $16.00 general admission, $13.00 for seniors 62 and over, $9.00 for children 11-17, and $6 for children 3-10. For more information, please call (800) 410-8354.

About the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund:

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is the nonprofit organization that founded the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) in Washington, D.C., in 1982. VVMF is the organization that partners with the National Park Service to maintain and care for The Wall, The Three Servicemen Statue, flagpole, and In Memory plaque.

VVMF’s mission is to honor and preserve the legacy of service in America and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War and era. We honor the service of all, preserve the memory of those who died during the war and since returning home, and educate all generations about the lasting impact of the war.

Portions of this material have been provided courtesy of The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation.