In late June, Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett joined members of the Vietnam Veterans of America Captain Bill Robinson Chapter 1078 and representatives from Berry Lynnhurst Funeral Home to announce The Wall That Heals is coming to Knoxville this October. And now we’re less than two weeks until its arrival.
The Wall That Heals is a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. The memorial will be located on Berry Lynnhurst Funeral Home property at 2300 Adair Drive starting at 6 p.m. on Oct. 4 through 4 p.m. on Oct. 8. It will be open to the public 24 hours a day free of charge.
“Our service members leave their families, the comfort of their homes and put their lives on the line so we can live in the greatest country on Earth,” said Mayor Burchett. “Unfortunately, our Vietnam Veteran didn’t get the respect and welcome they deserved when returning home from war. Having The Wall That Heals here in our community offers us a chance to honor their service and sacrifice.”
The hope is that The Wall That Heals will bring the same healing legacy to those who have not had the opportunity to visit “The Wall” in D.C. There are 58,318 names listed on the 250- foot replica.
Several special events are planned throughout the memorial’s time here in Knoxville, including:
- An opening ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 10 a.m.
- A presentation of quilts by Quilts of Valor on Friday, Oct. 6 at 10 a.m.
- A presentation of The Missing Man table and The Soldier’s Cross by Ann M. Wolf on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 10 a.m. immediately followed by keynote speaker Retired Captain Bill Robinson, the longest held enlisted Prisoner of War in U.S. military history.
- A presentation of The Missing Man Table and The Soldier’s Cross by Ann. M. Wolf on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 10 a.m. immediately followed by a devotional service conducted by military chaplains.
For more information on The Wall That Heals, please visit www.knoxwall.com or the Facebook event page at https://goo.gl/qRXgBu. For a brochure, visit http://knoxcounty.org/news/pdfs/the_wall_that_heals_brochure.pdf.