A woman and two children make an etching of a loved one’s name at The Wall That Heals in Wylie. The traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was on display Oct. 30–Nov. 2 at Founders Park. Craig Kelly/City of Wylie

The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., drew hundreds of visitors during its four-day visit to Wylie.

Erected in Founders Park, the wall was open around the clock from Thursday, Oct. 30, through Sunday, Nov. 2, with Taps played each evening at sundown. The traveling exhibit honors the more than 58,000 Americans who lost their lives in the Vietnam War, including 162 Medal of Honor recipients.

Visitors reflected at the 375-foot-long memorial, which bears 58,281 names. Nearly one-third of those listed served in the Army and one-fourth in the Marine Corps. The Navy and Air Force each account for 4.4% of the names, while Coast Guard combat deaths make up .01%. Sixteen of those who died were chaplains, and eight were women — all nurses. The average age of those memorialized is 23. Among them are 43 sets of brothers and three sets of fathers and sons.

While the memorial provided a solemn reminder of the cost of war, dozens of local volunteers helped ensure a meaningful experience for all who attended. Volunteers greeted guests, helped locate names, etched names onto paper, offered emotional support, directed traffic, provided mobility assistance and shared information about In Memory honorees and Hometown Heroes.

Visitors could also use the Find a Name app, available through the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, to locate service members listed on the memorial. The app provides panel and line numbers for each of the more than 58,000 names on both the Washington, D.C., wall and the mobile replica, with advanced search filters by name, hometown, state, or date of casualty. The app also links to full profiles and photos on the Wall of Faces website.

Volunteer coordinator Jacki Tobar organized training and provided updates throughout the event, ensuring smooth operations.

The city also hosted three special ceremonies during the wall’s stay: a Welcome Home Ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 30; a Candlelight Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 1, which highlighted PTSD awareness; and a Closing Ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 2.

More than 1,500 service members remain unaccounted for since the Paris Peace Accords were signed in 1973. The conflict continued for more than two years afterward, effectively ending with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975.

The next stop for The Wall That Heals is Athens, Alabama, Nov. 6-9, followed by Crystal Springs, Mississippi.

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