Nicolet College to host ‘Wall That Heals’ honoring Vietnam veterans

For the Star Journal

RHINELANDER – Nicolet College was recently selected by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) as one of only 31 sites from across the country to host the traveling The Wall That Heals exhibit in 2023.

The three-quarter scale replica exhibit of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., along with a mobile Education Center, will be on campus May 18 to 21. It will be open 24 hours a day and free for the public to visit.

The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed forces in the Vietnam War and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

“Nicolet College is honored to have been selected to host The Wall That Heals,” said Casey Lehmann, Nicolet Financial Aid advisor and site coordinator. “We are excited to share this wonderful event with the entire Nicolet College community and all Northwoods residents.”

Lehmann also submitted Nicolet’s application to host the exhibit. Nationally, more than 100 other entities also submitted applications, with 31 selected.

The three-quarter scale Wall replica is 375 feet in length and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. Visitors will experience The Wall rising above them as they walk towards the apex, a key feature of the design of The Wall in D.C. Visitors are able to do name rubbings of individual service member’s names on The Wall.

“The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is pleased to bring The Wall That Heals mobile exhibit to Rhinelander to allow local veterans and their family members a chance to experience The Wall,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF. “Hosting The Wall That Heals provides an opportunity to honor and remember all those who served and sacrificed in the Vietnam War and educate visitors on the continuing impact of the Vietnam War on America.”

The Wall That Heals is transported from community to community in a 53-foot trailer. When parked, the trailer opens with exhibits built into its sides, allowing it to serve as a mobile Education Center telling the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the divisive era in American history.

The mobile Education Center exhibit includes: digital photo displays of “Hometown Heroes” - service members whose names are on The Wall that list their home of record within the area of a visit; digital photo displays of Vietnam veterans from the local area honored through VVMF’s In Memory program which honors veterans who returned home from Vietnam and later died; video displays that teach about the history and impact of The Wall; educational exhibits told through items representative of those left at The Wall in D.C.; a replica of the In Memory plaque; a map of Vietnam and a chronological overview of the Vietnam War.

The exhibits tell the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the era surrounding the conflict, and are designed to put American experiences in Vietnam in a historical and cultural context.

The 2023 national The Wall That Heals tour is sponsored by USAA. Through a partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), the trucking industry, and Blue Beacon, the exhibit is able to travel across the country.