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