Kalispell welcomes The Wall

The Vietnam War cost nearly 270 Montanans their lives, and the soldiers who made it back returned home to far less than a hero’s welcome.

On Thursday, The Traveling Wall That Heals — a half-scale, 250-foot replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., bearing the names of over 58,000 men and women who gave all for their country — will be set up in Kalispell.

Since its debut in 1996, The Wall, built by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, has traveled to over 400 cities and towns in the U.S.

The Northwest Montana Chapter 1087 of the Vietnam Veterans of America spent around two years, according to member Terry Baker, working to bring the wall to Kalispell to allow veterans, their friends and family and those who lost loved ones in the war to see, remember and honor the names printed on the monument.

The names are listed alphabetically by day of casualty, and include the names of about 12 soldiers from the Flathead Valley.

An educational center will accompany The Wall, and educational visits are encouraged and accepted by appointment.

The Wall is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday, Sept. 6 with the Montana Highway Patrol and a motorcycle escort.

It will be stationed at 200 U.S. 93 South, north of Rosauers and will remain open to the public 24 hours a day following an opening ceremony at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 7 until a closing ceremony on Sept. 11.

The opening ceremony will consist of a military flyover, wreath laying and the placement of 266 flags for the Montanan soldiers killed in action.

Veteran will be on scene and available to answer questions and provide additional information.

For more information on the Wall That Heals, visit http://www.vvmf.org/2017-twth-tour.

Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.