The Traveling Wall

 The Wall is a 3/5 scale of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC, it stands six feet tall at the center and covers almost 300 feet from end to end. This past week it was located at Wickham Park in Melbourne Florida, where I  live in Brevard County. The Wall usually visits every year but I think the pandemic stopped that for a while. Visiting it is a very somber feeling; there are signs reminding you of that but it becomes very obvious as you approach the Wall.

This Traveling Memorial stands as a reminder of the great sacrifices made during the Vietnam War. It was made for the purpose of helping heal and rekindle friendships and to allow people the opportunity to visit loved ones in their home town who otherwise may not be able to make the trip to Washington.

This year I decided to visit on Sunday, May 7, the last day it was to be displayed. There was going to be a big party later in the day but I went in the morning, before there were too many people.

The Wall was located near the back lake at Wickham Park, the same one that the Art Festival was held at  a few weeks ago. When I was a kid, we use to picnic and swim in the this lake, but I see that it is currently closed.

Here is a view along the Wall looking North.

As I was gathering info for this post, I went to the Traveling Wall website. I found out the following:

The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall® is part of the Vietnam and All Veterans of Brevard (V V B) located in Brevard County Florida.

There were lots of flowers like this one, people who had friends on the wall bbut had a life after Vietnam. Also, materials are provided for rubbing names off the Wall. The guy in the orange shirt was pointing out names to his wife. The guy in the black shirt was one of the VVB who have people helping you to find someone on the wall.

I have never attempted to find anyone in particular, but there are probably people I know from Vermont. The Vietnam War stopped for the US in 1973 and before I had graduated in 1975, the country was taken over by Communists. I never had to deal with the Draft at an age when I could be legally drafted, but we always wanted to know what number our Birthday was.

In front of the Wall was a nice Memorial to the military dogs used in the War.

I had mentioned there were signs mentioning it was a Solemn Place!

This is the Wall as viewed looking South.

There were many things going on near the amphitheater, but I only took this photo of the giant flags blowing in the wind, hanging from a crane.

I did not stop by where there were venders and food trucks, I did not feel like I belonged. If you ever get to visit the Wall, I will say that it was peaceful and quiet. Unlike the War it is a Memorial for.