| Originally, they called it the Vietnam | | | | Oregon and ReTree International, a big |
| Veterans Memorial (Mobile). It is now | | | | timber company whose president, |
| known as the Moving Wall: A portable, | | | | octogenarian Frank Lockyear, conceived |
| half-size replica of the original Wall. | | | | the idea of a memorial forest. |
| The traveling version was first | | | | The North Carolina Vietnam Veterans |
| displayed in Texas in 1984, and since | | | | Highway Memorial also uses living trees |
| then, it has made stops in more than 200 | | | | to honor those who lost their lives in |
| cities across the country. There are | | | | Vietnam. Dedicated on Memorial Day 1991, |
| also at least two state moving walls in | | | | the memorial features 58,000 loblolly |
| Alabama and Ohio. | | | | pines that were planted along a 12-mile |
| The original Moving Wall was built in | | | | stretch of Interstate 85 in Davidson |
| 1983 by three California Vietnam | | | | County, between Lexington and |
| veterans-John Devitt, Gerry Haver, and | | | | Greensboro. The trees also encircle the |
| Morris Shears. "I wanted everyone to see | | | | highway memorial's centerpiece, a brick |
| those names on the wall," said Devitt, a | | | | wall nearly one hundred feet long and |
| former First Cav helicopter door gunner | | | | eight feet high. Each of the wall's |
| who now spends his time transporting the | | | | 1,600 bricks is engraved with the name |
| Moving Wall around the nation. | | | | of a North Carolinian who died in |
| Devitt and company secured permission | | | | Vietnam. |
| from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial | | | | The Tar Heel State also has a more |
| Foundation in Washington to construct | | | | traditional Vietnam veterans memorial in |
| their wall using the original | | | | Raleigh, the state capital. Dedicated on |
| blueprints. For portability purposes, | | | | Memorial Day 1987, it consists of a |
| the wall is built of aluminum. But its | | | | large, bronze sculpture of two combat |
| shiny enamel paint and raised letters | | | | infantrymen carrying a wounded buddy and |
| closely emulate the original. "It was | | | | bronze plaques dedicated to the state's |
| important that the letters be raised," | | | | Vietnam veterans. |
| Devitt said. "It gives people the | | | | Several other states have used roads to |
| opportunity to touch the names, to feel | | | | honor Vietnam veterans. Delaware's |
| the names." | | | | I-495, for example, is officially known |
| The Moving Wall generates the same types | | | | as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial |
| of response that the original wall does. | | | | Highway, and Vermont's I-89 shares the |
| Thousands come to pay their respects, | | | | same name. On October 20, 1982, Vermont |
| and dozens of volunteers stand guard to | | | | officials dedicated a 12-foot-high |
| help visitors locate names. Many leave | | | | granite monument in an I-89 rest area |
| mementos at the Moving Wall, all of | | | | near the town of Sharon. The memorial |
| which are collected and stored in a | | | | lists the names of the 138 Vermont men |
| California warehouse. Although Devitt | | | | killed in the war. |
| and company built a replica a couple of | | | | During the war, on May 31, 1969, local |
| years ago, the wall's itinerary is | | | | officials in Evansville, Indiana, and in |
| booked solid. For information, write to: | | | | Henderson, Kentucky, renamed the twin |
| Vietnam Combat Veterans, Inc., Attn: | | | | bridges that connect their cities to |
| Memorial Fund, 1267 Alma Ct., San Jose, | | | | honor those killed in the war. The spans |
| CA 95112. | | | | are officially called the Bi-state |
| Like the original Wall and the traveling | | | | Vietnam Gold Star Memorial Bridges. |
| replica, nearly all state and local | | | | On May 30,1993, Baltimore mayor Kurt |
| memorials honor Vietnam veterans by | | | | Schmoke cut a ribbon and officially |
| listing the names of those killed and | | | | renamed the city's heavily traveled |
| missing and by representing their | | | | Hanover Street Bridge the Vietnam |
| service with words or statues. But some | | | | Veterans Memorial Bridge. That historic |
| memorials are in different forms, for | | | | event-the first time in the city's long |
| example, longtime VVA member Geoffrey | | | | history that a bridge was renamed to |
| Steiner's herculean effort to plant the | | | | honor an individual or group-was |
| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Forest on a | | | | attended by more than 2,000 people, |
| 100-acre parcel of land he owns in | | | | including 40 Gold Star mothers, 20 color |
| Cushing, Minnesota, about 120 miles | | | | guards from a half dozen veterans |
| north of Minneapolis. | | | | organizations (including seven Maryland |
| Steiner, who did a 1967-68 tour with the | | | | VVA chapters), an Army National Guard |
| Marines, started on his goal of planting | | | | band, and reporters from the city's four |
| a tree for each American who died in | | | | TV stations. The dedication capped |
| Vietnam in 1980. He has personally | | | | months of hard work by the members of |
| planted more than 30,000 trees, and his | | | | VVA Chapter 451 in Maryland's largest |
| once-lonely effort has now been | | | | city. |
| officially recognized by the state of | | | | Chapter member Ed Vogel conceived of the |
| Minnesota. Steiner has received aid from | | | | idea of renaming the bridge while it was |
| the fund-raising efforts of several VVA | | | | being renovated in 1992. "That way, the |
| chapters. A member of Chapter 214, | | | | bridge could serve as a gateway to the |
| Steiner has served as Minnesota's VVA | | | | Maryland Vietnam Veterans Memorial," |
| chaplain. He says he purposely chose not | | | | which was dedicated in 1989 across the |
| to work with stone or sculpture. "What | | | | Patapsco River from downtown Baltimore, |
| we're trying to do is heal the people," | | | | chapter president John Averella told The |
| he told a reporter. "This is a living | | | | VVA Veteran. Vogel chaired a 15-member |
| memorial." | | | | bridge dedication committee that |
| Since 1989, VVA Chapter 392 in Portland, | | | | convinced the City Council to rename the |
| Oregon, has been actively involved in | | | | bridge. The committee raised $9,000 to |
| another massive tree-planting | | | | pay for new highway signs, two large |
| endeavor-planting 60,000 trees | | | | brass plaques, and the big |
| throughout Oregon to memorialize those | | | | dedication-day ceremonies. "From a |
| who died in Vietnam. More than half the | | | | single idea six months earlier, to an |
| trees-which are being donated by the | | | | event that we will remember for a |
| state Department of Forestry-are in | | | | lifetime, all this was made possible by |
| place. Chapter 392's partners in the | | | | members of our chapter and the support |
| effort are the Lions International of | | | | of their families," Averella said. |