The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial along with a mobile Education Center, is coming to Alexandria June 12–15 on the grounds of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial and will be open 24 hours a day and free to the public.
The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed forces in the Vietnam War, and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.
“As a result of closures of streets and the National Mall for the military parade on June 14 in Washington, D.C., the largest annual event held at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was displaced. Fortunately, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial eagerly stepped forward to bring the sanctity and peaceful nature of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to the thousands of family and friends gathering to honor their Vietnam veterans,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF.
Bringing in The Wall That Heals exhibit not only allows a three-quarter-size-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to be accessible to the public but also includes a mobile Education Center which will allow for the display of photographs of service members on The Wall from Alexandria and the surrounding counties. A second digital display shares the photographs of Vietnam veterans honored through the In Memory program.
“We are blessed to have the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in our backyard, but locals never get the opportunity to see representative examples of the 400,000 items left behind at The Wall. With the mobile Education Center, they will not only get to see these items but can spend time reflecting on the impact of the war and the Memorial in our backyard. Whether you’ve never been to The Wall or been dozens of times, this portion of the exhibit is immensely powerful,” said local hosting committee co-chair Cynthia Long.
Special events that will be held at the exhibit include an Agent Orange Awareness candlelight event on Thursday, June 12. Visitors will see the replica Wall and In Memory plaque lit in orange candlelight to bring light to the effects of Agent Orange exposure on our nation’s Vietnam veterans.
On Saturday, June 14, the annual In Memory ceremony will be held honoring a record high 774 Vietnam veterans who returned home from Vietnam and later died. More than 2,000 attendees are expected.
On Sunday, June 15, the annual Father’s Day Rose Remembrance will be held at The Wall That Heals. Visitors can sponsor roses in advance and lay them at the replica Wall and In Memory plaque to honor and remember fathers who served in Vietnam and those that never had the chance to become fathers. Red roses are for those who died in Vietnam, yellow for those who are unaccounted for and white for those who returned home but later died.
The Wall That Heals is transported from community to community in a 53-foot trailer. When parked, the trailer opens with exhibits built into its sides, allowing it to serve as a mobile Education Center telling the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the divisive era in American history.
The three-quarter scale Wall replica is 375 feet in length and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. Visitors will experience The Wall rising above them as they walk towards the apex, a key feature of the design of The Wall in D.C. Visitors are able to do name rubbings of individual service member’s names on The Wall. It will be set upon the grassy knoll overlooking the National Masonic Memorial capturing the grandeur of two of our nation’s most iconic architectural wonders.
The mobile Education Center exhibit includes: digital photo displays of “Hometown Heroes” – service members whose names are on The Wall that list their home of record within the area of a visit; digital photo displays of Vietnam veterans from the local area honored through VVMF’s In Memory program which honors veterans who returned home from Vietnam and later died; video displays that teach about the history and impact of The Wall; educational exhibits told through items representative of those left at The Wall in D.C.; a replica of the In Memory plaque; a map of Vietnam and a chronological overview of the Vietnam War. The exhibits tell the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the era surrounding the conflict, and are designed to put American experiences in Vietnam in a historical and cultural context.
USAA is the presenting sponsor for the national tour for the 11th year. Over the past decade, they have traveled to nearly 300 communities with VVMF. This year, VVMF also announced a new sponsor for the 2025 season, Wipfli LLP. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wipfli is an advisory and accounting firm with more than 3,300 associates who deliver digital, people, strategy, risk, financial and outsourcing solutions to nearly 56,000 clients. Through a partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), the trucking industry, and Blue Beacon, the exhibit can travel across the country.
“Hosting the exhibit requires the equipment and resources to support the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of visitors across the four days. We’re optimistic local businesses and organizations will reach out to us to see how they can help us through in-kind or financial support,” said Long.
Normally a community has six months to several years to accomplish the planning necessary to make this happen. To support the event, more than 200 volunteers will be necessary to help set up on Thursday, June 12 and take down on Monday, June 16. In addition, since the exhibit will be open 24 hours each day, dozens of volunteers will be necessary to serve and answer questions from visitors.
If you are interested in volunteering, donating, or learning more about this special event, please visit: www.vvmf.org/the-wall-that-heals-alexandria.
Since its debut in 1996, the exhibit has been on display in nearly 800 U.S. communities in addition to an April 1999 tour of the Four Provinces of Ireland, a visit to Canada in 2005, and Hawaii in 2024. The Wall That Heals is a program of VVMF, the nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. in 1982. The Wall That Heals is the only traveling exhibit affiliated with The Wall in Washington, D.C. and includes the largest Wall replica that travels the country. Two VVMF staff members lead volunteers on site, educate visitors and students, and ensure the reflective atmosphere of The Wall. More information can be found at: www.thewallthatheals.org.
