The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall Displayed at King City

Photo By Amy Phillips | The King City VFW Post 6747 spearheaded the year-long project to get the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall to King City from Oct. 6-10, 2016. The community donated the money to cover the cost of getting the wall to King City, provided the lumber and labor to build the support frame to hold the wall up. The Fort Hunter Liggett Commissary donated water for the more than 200 volunteers that supported the event.  

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CA, UNITED STATES

10.10.2016

Story by Amy Phillips 

Fort Hunter Liggett Public Affairs Office

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. - Fort Hunter Liggett (FHL) partnered with the King City Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 6747 to bring the “Moving Wall,” an official half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to the Salinas Valley Fair from Oct. 6-10, 2016. According to the King City Rustler, more than 2,000 people visited the wall.
It took more than a year of planning, fundraising and being on the wait list before Post 6747 was able to finally get the Moving Wall to King City.
Cliff Williams, the VFW Post 6747 Commander and a Vietnam War Veteran, says he’s “still not ready” to visit the actual memorial in Washington, D.C. Williams and fellow post members, and many community groups, however, felt it was very important to bring the wall to the people, most of whom do not get an opportunity to travel across country to see the actual memorial.
FHL Soldiers, along with some King City High School (KCHS) students, helped set up the display in less than two hours under the supervision of the Moving Wall staff, Paul and Kimberly Chen.
“It’s the best job I ever and I don’t even get paid!” said Navy Veteran (1974-1977), Paul Chen, who was a welder on USS Newman K. Perry DD883, a Navy destroyer.
Chen met the Moving Wall founder 12 years ago but didn’t begin his journey with the Wall until 2010, when he retired. He was asked to help out on “a couple of runs” to replace a sick person. “That one month turned into two months and three months, and next thing I know, I was their driver,” said Chen. He’s been with them ever since. Chen said King City was his 20th stop of the year and the next stop will be Mississippi.
“It’s not a job you apply for. You get asked to do it and it’s an honor,” said Chen.
The Moving Wall was founded by Vietnam War Veteran John Devitt after attending the 1982 dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. According to the organization’s website (www.themovingwall.org), Devitt “felt the positive power of ‘The Wall’” and “vowed to share that experience with those who did not have the opportunity to go to Washington.”
Devitt served in the 1st Cavalry Regiment from 1966-1969 and served in as a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam from 1967-1968. Devitt and some fellow Vietnam Veterans built the original wall of Plexiglas and it went on display for the first time in Tyler, Texas in October of 1984. Two aluminum structures of The Moving Wall now travel the country from April through November, spending about a week at each site.
The 3-365th Logistics Support Battalion stationed at FHL went out in full force to assist with the wall setup on Oct. 6. Their executive officer, Lt. Col. Lynetta Ruffin felt it was very important to support the VFW and the Vietnam Veterans. “…there were so many wrongs issued out by the American people to a group of Soldiers that fought perhaps one of the hardest and most misunderstood wars we will ever see. It's unimaginable that Soldiers were not given the same respect that today's generation receives from serving.”
The official opening ceremony was conducted on Oct. 8 with FHL’s Garrison Chaplain, Chaplain (Col.) Gregory Long as the keynote speaker. More than 200 people attended the ceremony.
“Those who fought in Vietnam are part of this great country’s history of standing for the oppressed and defending the defenseless,” said Long. “No number of wreaths, no amount of music and memorializing will ever do them justice but it is good for us to honor them and their sacrifice.”
Williams, FHL Chaplain (Major) Vaughn Benner and Lt. Col. Charmaine Bettysingleton provided information to more than 700 local students that visited the wall. Benner also conducted the invocation for the opening ceremony. Benner and Bettysingleton role played Soldiers that lost their lives to help students understand that there are stories behind the names on the wall. Williams displayed his uniform from the Vietnam War era and many informational panels.
“Visiting the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall was very emotional because the Vietnam War was the first conflict that touched our entire family,” said Mark Hernandez, who works at the FHL Sports Center. “Life-long family friends were killed in action during the war and their deaths had a sobering effect on the entire community.”
Hernandez grew up in the King City who said the population was “very small” during the war. He added that, “Seeing their names on the wall and reading stories of their deaths in the local newspaper brought back sad memories.”
FHL also distributed Department of Defense’ Vietnam War Commemoration Program (http://www.vietnamwar50th.com) items such as a special lapel pin for Vietnam War Veterans and buttons for all visitors were distributed by the garrison.
The commemorative program objectives are:
1. To thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War, including personnel who were held as prisoners of war (POW), or listed as missing in action (MIA), for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States and to thank and honor the families of these veterans.
2. To highlight the service of the Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and the contributions of Federal agencies and governmental and non-governmental organizations that served with, or in support of, the Armed Forces.
3. To pay tribute to the contributions made on the home front by the people of the United States during the Vietnam War.
4. To highlight the advances in technology, science, and medicine related to military research conducted during the Vietnam War.
5. To recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by the allies of the United States during the Vietnam War.
For more information on the program and search upcoming events honoring Vietnam War Veterans visit: http://www.vietnamwar50th.com.

• Date Taken: 10.10.2016
• Date Posted: 10.19.2016 18:30
• Story ID: 212408
• Location: FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CA, US