| ally, they called it the Vietnam Veterans Memorial | | | | whose president, octogenarian Frank Lockyear, |
| (Mobile). It is now known as the Moving Wall: A | | | | conceived the idea of a memorial forest. |
| portable, half-size replica of the original Wall. The | | | | The North Carolina Vietnam Veterans Highway |
| traveling version was first displayed in Texas in | | | | Memorial also uses living trees to honor those |
| 1984, and since then, it has made stops in more | | | | who lost their lives in Vietnam. Dedicated on |
| than 200 cities across the country. There are also | | | | Memorial Day 1991, the memorial features 58,000 |
| at least two state moving walls in Alabama and | | | | loblolly pines that were planted along a 12-mile |
| Ohio. | | | | stretch of Interstate 85 in Davidson County, |
| The original Moving Wall was built in 1983 by three | | | | between Lexington and Greensboro. The trees |
| California Vietnam veterans-John Devitt, Gerry | | | | also encircle the highway memorial's centerpiece, a |
| Haver, and Morris Shears. "I wanted everyone to | | | | brick wall nearly one hundred feet long and eight |
| see those names on the wall," said Devitt, a | | | | feet high. Each of the wall's 1,600 bricks is |
| former First Cav helicopter door gunner who now | | | | engraved with the name of a North Carolinian |
| spends his time transporting the Moving Wall | | | | who died in Vietnam. |
| around the nation. | | | | The Tar Heel State also has a more traditional |
| Devitt and company secured permission from the | | | | Vietnam veterans memorial in Raleigh, the state |
| Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation in | | | | capital. Dedicated on Memorial Day 1987, it |
| Washington to construct their wall using the | | | | consists of a large, bronze sculpture of two |
| original blueprints. For portability purposes, the wall | | | | combat infantrymen carrying a wounded buddy |
| is built of aluminum. But its shiny enamel paint and | | | | and bronze plaques dedicated to the state's |
| raised letters closely emulate the original. "It was | | | | Vietnam veterans. |
| important that the letters be raised," Devitt said. | | | | Several other states have used roads to honor |
| "It gives people the opportunity to touch the | | | | Vietnam veterans. Delaware's I-495, for example, |
| names, to feel the names." | | | | is officially known as the Vietnam Veterans |
| The Moving Wall generates the same types of | | | | Memorial Highway, and Vermont's I-89 shares the |
| response that the original wall does. Thousands | | | | same name. On October 20, 1982, Vermont |
| come to pay their respects, and dozens of | | | | officials dedicated a 12-foot-high granite |
| volunteers stand guard to help visitors locate | | | | monument in an I-89 rest area near the town of |
| names. Many leave mementos at the Moving Wall, | | | | Sharon. The memorial lists the names of the 138 |
| all of which are collected and stored in a California | | | | Vermont men killed in the war. |
| warehouse. Although Devitt and company built a | | | | During the war, on May 31, 1969, local officials in |
| replica a couple of years ago, the wall's itinerary is | | | | Evansville, Indiana, and in Henderson, Kentucky, |
| booked solid. For information, write to: Vietnam | | | | renamed the twin bridges that connect their cities |
| Combat Veterans, Inc., Attn: Memorial Fund, 1267 | | | | to honor those killed in the war. The spans are |
| Alma Ct., San Jose, CA 95112. | | | | officially called the Bi-state Vietnam Gold Star |
| Like the original Wall and the traveling replica, | | | | Memorial Bridges. |
| nearly all state and local memorials honor Vietnam | | | | On May 30,1993, Baltimore mayor Kurt Schmoke |
| veterans by listing the names of those killed and | | | | cut a ribbon and officially renamed the city's |
| missing and by representing their service with | | | | heavily traveled Hanover Street Bridge the |
| words or statues. But some memorials are in | | | | Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge. That historic |
| different forms, for example, longtime VVA | | | | event-the first time in the city's long history that |
| member Geoffrey Steiner's herculean effort to | | | | a bridge was renamed to honor an individual or |
| plant the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Forest on a | | | | group-was attended by more than 2,000 people, |
| 100-acre parcel of land he owns in Cushing, | | | | including 40 Gold Star mothers, 20 color guards |
| Minnesota, about 120 miles north of Minneapolis. | | | | from a half dozen veterans organizations (including |
| Steiner, who did a 1967-68 tour with the Marines, | | | | seven Maryland VVA chapters), an Army National |
| started on his goal of planting a tree for each | | | | Guard band, and reporters from the city's four |
| American who died in Vietnam in 1980. He has | | | | TV stations. The dedication capped months of |
| personally planted more than 30,000 trees, and his | | | | hard work by the members of VVA Chapter 451 |
| once-lonely effort has now been officially | | | | in Maryland's largest city. |
| recognized by the state of Minnesota. Steiner has | | | | Chapter member Ed Vogel conceived of the idea |
| received aid from the fund-raising efforts of | | | | of renaming the bridge while it was being |
| several VVA chapters. A member of Chapter | | | | renovated in 1992. "That way, the bridge could |
| 214, Steiner has served as Minnesota's VVA | | | | serve as a gateway to the Maryland Vietnam |
| chaplain. He says he purposely chose not to work | | | | Veterans Memorial," which was dedicated in 1989 |
| with stone or sculpture. "What we're trying to do | | | | across the Patapsco River from downtown |
| is heal the people," he told a reporter. "This is a | | | | Baltimore, chapter president John Averella told |
| living memorial." | | | | The VVA Veteran. Vogel chaired a 15-member |
| Since 1989, VVA Chapter 392 in Portland, Oregon, | | | | bridge dedication committee that convinced the |
| has been actively involved in another massive | | | | City Council to rename the bridge. The committee |
| tree-planting endeavor-planting 60,000 trees | | | | raised $9,000 to pay for new highway signs, two |
| throughout Oregon to memorialize those who died | | | | large brass plaques, and the big dedication-day |
| in Vietnam. More than half the trees-which are | | | | ceremonies. "From a single idea six months earlier, |
| being donated by the state Department of | | | | to an event that we will remember for a lifetime, |
| Forestry-are in place. Chapter 392's partners in | | | | all this was made possible by members of our |
| the effort are the Lions International of Oregon | | | | chapter and the support of their families," Averella |
| and ReTree International, a big timber company | | | | said. |