(Hawarden) — A half size replica of the Viet Nam Memorial Wall is scheduled to be in northwest Iowa through the weekend. The “Moving Wall” arrived in Hawarden Thursday afternoon and features all 58,306 names of those service men and women that lost their lives during the Viet Nam War. Roger Johnson is the chairman of the Sioux County Commission of Veteran Affairs and is overseeing the exhibition of the moving wall. He says it is referred to as the “moving wall” not just because of its capability of traveling from town to town, but he says, the wall also stirs up emotions for those that view it.
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For Johnson, the wall symbolizes a special meaning.
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In addition to his brother’s name, Johnson says there are four other names on the wall with either a Hawarden or neighboring town Ireton connection.
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Johnson says the local American Legion post had been trying for four years to bring the Viet Nam replica wall to Hawarden. He says when the wall arrived Thursday afternoon, a caravan helped escort it into town.
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Johnson says the “Moving Wall” will be accessible 24 hours, and it will have guards posted, as well as volunteers to assist with the locating of names. He says, like the Wall featured in Washington D.C., people will also have the opportunity to sketch a name. The Viet Nam replica wall will remain on display until Monday, August 17th. The wall is near the Hawarden Community Center.
