CENTRAL — A replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is making its way to the Baton Rouge area this week as part of its 30th season. The Wall That Heals will be displayed at Life Tabernacle Church (9323 Hooper Road) from March 20-23 and will be open to visitors 24 hours a day.
The Wall That Heals is a three-quarter-scale replica of the memorial in Washington, D.C., accompanied by an education center that travels to cities across the U.S. This year marks its 30th season, and Baton Rouge is the third stop on the tour, which began on March 6 in Sebring, Florida. There are no other Louisiana stops scheduled in 2025.
MORE: Traveling Vietnam Wall stops in Walker
The exhibit opens on Thursday, March 20, with a “Welcome Home” ceremony at 6 p.m. On Friday, March 21, a “Remembrance Ceremony” will be held at 6 p.m., featuring speeches from multiple local Vietnam veterans.
No events are scheduled for Saturday, but the memorial will remain open all day. The visit concludes on Sunday, March 23, with a ceremony at 1:30 p.m., followed by the packing up of the exhibit at 2 p.m.
According to its website, The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served during the Vietnam War. It bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.
The mobile education center features digital photos of “Hometown Heroes” whose names are on The Wall, along with their home of record in the visiting area. It also honors local Vietnam veterans who returned home after the war and have since passed away.
The center will also include videos explaining the Wall That Heals’ history and have educational exhibits representing ones left at The Wall in D.C., including a replica of the “In Memory” plaque.
Since its inception, the traveling memorial has been displayed in nearly 800 U.S. communities, as well as internationally, including a 1999 tour of the Four Provinces of Ireland and a visit to Canada in 2005.
How you can be involved with The Wall That Heals
The arrival of The Wall That Heals in Central will be escorted on Tuesday, March 18. Motorcyclists and motorcycle groups are welcome to participate by contacting Sgt. Joey Nations, the ride captain, at joeylnations@yahoo.com or (225) 281-0636.
The public is also encouraged to show their support by lining the route, wearing red, white, and blue, and waving flags as the escort passes through.
The escort will meet at 11 a.m. at the RaceTrac parking lot on O’Neal Lane in Baton Rouge.
- Turn right into the Life Tabernacle Church parking lot (9323 Hooper Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70818).
- Turn right, heading northbound on O’Neal Lane.
- Cross Florida Blvd/US 190 onto Central Thruway.
- Continue northbound on Sullivan Rd / LA 3034.
- Turn left, heading westbound on Hooper Rd / LA 408.
For those interested in helping set up the memorial, organizers are asking for 40-50 people to come by Revolution Square behind Life Tabernacle Church on March 19th. Please call (985) 320-5782 if you are interested in volunteering to set up.
You can learn more about Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) by visiting www.vvmf.org or calling (202) 393-0090. The VVMF is a nonprofit organization that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) in Washington, D.C. in 1982.
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