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The Movin Wall
The Moving Wall, the traveling half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in Washington, D.C., will be on display to the public in Mountain Home June 16-21.
The truck and trailer delivering the components of the wall will be met nine miles south of the Idaho border, in Snowville, Utah, on Monday, in the early afternoon of June 14, by members of the Idaho Motorcycle Club, led by Chuck Eckenrod.
The club, with pit stops in Twin Falls and Bliss, will escort the wall to the edge of Elmore County, where it will be met by representatives of the Elmore County Sheriff's Office, the Mountain Home Police Department, and the Idaho State Police.
It will turn into Glenns Ferry, for a brief ceremony at the high school, then proceed on to Mountain Home. The time of its arrival in Glenns Ferry is uncertain at this point. The wall will be coming to Mountain Home from Kansas.
On Tuesday, June 15, a large group of volunteers organized by Jim McCluer will begin erecting, in Carl Miller Park, the monument to those lost in the Vietnam War. They must follow a precise and lengthy set of directions regarding angles of the wall, its compass orientation, and the placement of things like flags and walkways, in order to recreate the national memorial as correctly as possible.
Tents for volunteers who will be available to help visitors to the wall to find the names of old friends or loved ones on the wall, as well as hospitality and medical emergency areas, will be set up.
To maintain the dignity and serenity of the wall, all cell phones must be turned off by visitors entering Carl Miller Park during the appearance of The Moving Wall, and no pets will be allowed in the park.
North Tenth East Street, adjacent to Carl Miller Park, will be closed during the opening ceremonies (although parking will be available for handicapped vehicles).
The opening ceremonies for the week-long appearance of The Moving Wall will begin at promptly at 11 a.m. with a "missing man" formation flyover from elements of the 366th Fighter Wing, a prayer by representatives of the LDS Church First Ward, followed by the raising of U.S. and POW/MIA flags (to half staff) by honor guards from area veterans organizations.
A series of speeches will follow, headed -- in order -- by Medal of Honor winner Col. (ret.) Bernie Fisher of Kuna, 366th Wing Commander Col. Blair Hansen, Maj. Gen. John "Jack" Kane, adjutant general of the Idaho National Guard, Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, and Mayor Joe McNeal.
McNeal will present family members of those from this area who lost loved ones in Vietnam with special gifts from The Moving Wall in Mountain Home Committee.
The Mountain Home High School Drum Line and the Singing Sergeants from MHAFB will perform.
At 1 p.m. veterans of the war who have been lined up by ceremonies coordinator Phil Gridley, Jr., will begin telling their stories.
At 9 p.m. closing ceremonies for the day will begin, beginning with a prayer and song by members of the First Southern Baptist Church. At 9:15 p.m. the names of 40 Idahoans who died in Vietnam will be read. Forty names will be read each night the wall is in Mountain Home until the names of all Idahoans killed in the war have been honored.
A t 9:45 p.m. taps will be played.
Excluding the speeches, similar ceremonies are planned throughout the next week, including a community candlelight vigil Sunday evening, June 20, beginning at 10 p.m. through June 21 (see schedule of events on this page), and on June 22 crews will disassemble the wall and send it off to its next appearance.
Visitors looking for a specific name on the wall, visit the information tents, where volunteers will assist them in finding the names they're seeking (names are not alphabetical on the wall, but organized in the order in which a serviceman was killed or declared missing in action).
Memorial "rubbing" sheets also will be available at the information tables.
The Moving Wall was paid for, like the national Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. from contributions made by the public. It is not a display owned or operated by the federal government.
Its appearances are coordinated by Vietnam Combat Veterans, Ltd. The local appearance is being funded by the Chamber of Commerce and the city of Mountain Home, as well as several private donations from area citizens.
As names have been added over the years to the permanent Vietnam wall in Washington, D.C., Vietnam Combat Veterans, Ltd., have updated the moving wall to exactly match the names on the national memorial.
As of Jan.1, 2003, there were 58,228 names listed on the Memorial. Approximately 1,300 of those are still unaccounted for prisoners of war (POWs) and missing in action (MIAs).
Like the national memorial in Washington, D.C., many people leave items at The Moving Wall, ranging from flowers to letters, even medals. Throughout the week, memorabilia left at the wall will be collected and preserved, designed to become part of The Moving Wall museum collection.
The following is the tentative list of activities scheduled during the appearance of The Moving Wall. Although flag-raising ceremonies were scheduled for each morning, and the flags would then be lowered to half-staff each night, due to the death of former president Ronald Reagan flags will be flown at half-staff throughout the week the Moving Wall is in town.
Monday, June 14
Wall arrives
Tuesday, June 15
Wall set up
Wednesday June 16
11 a.m. -- Opening ceremony
Flyover MHAFB missing man formation.
Opening prayer by LDS Church 1st Ward.
Raise American and POW/MIA flags (to half staff). All honor guards for opening and all vet organizations.
National Anthem LDS Church 1st Ward.
Speeches:
* Medal of Honor Winner Col. Bernie Fisher.
* 366th Fighter Wing Commander Br. Gen. (Select) Blair Hansen.
* Commanding Maj. Gen. Kane, Adjutant General Idaho National Guard.
* Gov. Kempthorne.
* Mayor Joe McNeal.
Mountain Home High School Drum Line.
The Singing Sergeants.
1 p.m. -- Listen to vets tell their stories.
9 p.m. -- Prayer and song by First Southern Baptist church.
9:15 p.m. -- Read 40 names of Idahoans killed in Vietnam.
9:45 p.m. -- American Legion, VFW, DAV honor guard and taps.
Thursday, June 17
10:30 a.m. -- Prayer by Duck Valley.
11 a.m. -- Performance by Duck Valley Dancers.
1 p.m. -- Listen to vets tell their stories.
9 p.m. -- Nazarene Church group, prayer.
9:15 p.m. -- Read names of 40 Idahoans killed in Vietnam.
9:45 p.m. -- MHAFB honor guard, taps.
Friday, June 18
11 a.m. -- Flyover by Idaho National Guard helicopters. Prayer by Larry Semore, River of Life church, and song by Beth Thomas.
1 p.m. -- Listen to vets tell their stories.
9 p.m. -- Prayer, song by John and Julie Vogel.
9:15 p.m. -- Read names of 40 Idahoans killed in Vietnam
9:45 p.m -- National Guard honor guard, taps.
Saturday, June 19
(by Juneteenth Committee)
11 a.m. Prayer Rev. Dana Brazel, Abundant Life Choir.
1 p.m. -- Listen to vets tell their stories.
9 p.m. -- Prayer by Pastor Parmele, Love Abiding Church Choir.
9:15 p.m -- Read 40 names of Idahoans killed in Vietnam.
9:45 p.m. -- Juneteenth committee and taps.
Sunday, June 20
(by Juneteenth Committee
11 a.m. -- Prayer and song.
1 p.m. -- Listen to vets tell their stories
9 p.m. -- Rev. Truman Parker, Congregational Church, Bell Ringers.
9:15 p.m. -- Read 40 names of Idahoans killed in Vietnam.
9:45 -- Duck Valley firing team and taps.
10 p.m. -- Community candlelight vigil.
Monday, June 21
11 a.m. -- Flyover by A-10s of the Idaho National Guard's 124th Wing.
Prayer by the Catholic Church, Mary Lou Koelsch.
High school singers will perform.
1 p.m. -- Listen to vets tell their stories.
9 p.m. -- Prayer by Andrew Bailey, Assembly of God Church.
9:15 p.m. --Read 40 names of Idahoans killed in Vietnam.
9:45 p.m. -- American Legion, MHAFB, and National Guard honor guards, taps.
Tuesday, June 22
Tear down wall
4 p.m. -- Closing ceremony.