Comrades Forever
"The Moving Wall" is the half-size replica of the Washington, DC Vietnam Veterans Memorial and has been touring the country for thirty plus years. When John Devitt attended the 1982 dedication in Washington, he felt the positive power of "The Wall." He vowed to share that experience with those who did not have the opportunity to go to Washington.
John, Norris Shears, Gerry Haver, and other Vietnam veteran volunteers built The Moving Wall. It went on display for the first time in Tyler, Texas in October of 1984. Two structures of The Moving Wall now travel the USA from April through November, spending about a week at each site.
A Sponsor is any organization or group of individuals that wants The Moving Wall to visit their area and is willing to do the work to make the local arrangements as described in "Scheduling a Visit of The Moving Wall." Sponsors are frequently civic groups, schools, or veterans' organizations. Sponsoring normally requires months of planning by dozens of local volunteers.
The Paris/Henry County Chamber of Commerce began planning for the event years ago, making the request with the Moving Wall organizers that the local community be placed on the schedule
The Moving Wall will be placed at the Eiffel Tower Park, in the large field between the swimming pool and Memorial Park Cemetery. It’s handicapped accessible. There is plenty of parking there.
The Moving Wall must be staffed 24 hours a day for all five days and local veterans’ groups will be volunteering for that.
A public ceremony will open the Moving Wall August 31.
The Moving Wall was in our area in 2013, at Camden, and drew huge crowds.
