Will Cook County News

By Claude Martinez.

Romeoville – Over the past week, August 22-24, The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall visited Romeoville, where residents from the local area and across greater Chicago came to pay their respects to the more than 58,000 United States service members who gave their lives during the Vietnam War.

In addition to the Vietnam Wall, panels commemorating 9/11, Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, and Enduring Freedom were also on display.

The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall is a 3/5-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. It stands six feet tall at its highest point and stretches 300 feet in length.

Visitors laid flowers along the wall in honor of those who lost their lives. Some veterans returned to pay their respects to their fallen comrades.

People also participated in the tradition of making rubbings—using pencil and paper to etch the names of loved ones and heroes from the wall.

When not on display, the wall is stored in a single trailer and maintained by the Vietnam and All Veterans of Brevard (V.V.B.); which was formed in 1985 and is based out of Brevard County, Florida.

The cost of war is deeply reflected in the names engraved on the wall. Among the fallen:

• 39,996 were 22 years old or younger
• 8,283 were just 19 years old
• 33,103 were 18 years old (the largest group)
• 12 were 17 years old
• 5 were 16 years old
• And 1 was only 15 years old

The wall also honors:

• 31 sets of brothers
• 31 families who lost two sons
• And 8 women who served and died in Vietnam

The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall will travel to Gahanna, Ohio, and will be on display from October 2nd to 6th

For more information about The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall, visit their website linked here.

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