HEARTS Veterans Museum of Texas welcomes traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall to permanent home

By Team Mighty

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Three men are saluting in front of a black memorial wall inscribed with numerous names. Two men wear white military-style uniforms with black berets and white gloves, while the third man wears a dark blazer, jeans, and a beige cowboy hat. An American flag and another flag with red, white, and blue colors stand beside the wall. A wreath with red, white, and blue flowers is placed at the base of the wall.

The traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall has been to 48 states to honor and remember those who lost their lives in the Vietnam War. The wall has retired from the road, with the HEARTS Veterans Museum of Texas becoming its permanent home. 

On Sunday, March 27, 2022, the Vietnam Memorial Wall was officially dedicated, bringing a more than two-year process to a conclusion, and in doing so, designated Huntsville, Texas, and Washington, D.C., the only two places where the Vietnam War Memorial Wall is permanently displayed.

Among the distinguished guests in attendance was Congressman Kevin Brady (TX-08), who spoke about the importance of this place becoming a hallowed ground to pause and reflect on the sacrifices made for our country. 

A man in a dark suit and tie is speaking into a microphone at a wooden podium outdoors. Behind him are four people: a man in a white shirt, patterned tie, sunglasses, and a white cowboy hat; a man in a dark jacket, sunglasses, and a white cowboy hat; a woman in a green dress with a black cardigan and pearl necklace; and a man in a navy blue shirt and "MARINES VIETNAM VETERAN" cap. In the background is a large black wall covered with many names in white text. Several people are seated in the foreground, some wearing hats. A black donation box is visible to the right.

Giving the wall home and honoring those on the wall and their families would not have been possible without support from the local community, said Kenneth Lee, museum board president and Vietnam Veteran.

“We want all of the kids here to understand that the names on the wall were someone’s father, brother, son, and the importance of remembering and honoring them,” Tara Burnett, HEARTS Museum executive director, said.

The wall is an 80% replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. It contains 58,263 names of known veterans who lost their lives. The wall spans 370 feet across and reaches eight feet tall at the center.

Three uniformed men stand in front of a black memorial wall inscribed with many names. The man on the left holds an American flag, the man in the center stands behind a red, white, and blue wreath, and the man on the right holds a Texas state flag. All three wear white shirts, black ties, black pants, black berets, and sunglasses.

The museum has grown tremendously from its grassroots origin in 1993 as a Veterans Day display in an Antiques Shop window to now permanently hosting the Vietnam Memorial Wall. The museum is filled with memorabilia from local veterans and their families and routinely hosts school tours. 

“It’s so instrumental in education. It’s very important that everyone can come here to see what Veterans have done in the past, what they are doing in the present, and how that Veterans are ordinary people,” Lee said.  

“You know, taking care of each other and making sure everyone has what they need. That’s what this place is all about,” Burnett said.

The addition of the Vietnam Memorial Wall stands as a testament to this community’s commitment to honoring, remembering and caring for veterans.

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