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Moving Wall brings Vietnam Veterans Memorial to Amherst

Visitors find names of family, friends on wall

Moving Wall brings Vietnam Veterans Memorial to Amherst

Visitors find names of family, friends on wall

WEBVTT ANDY: IT’S 74 INTERLOCKING ALUMINUM PANELS, ETCHED WITH 58,000 NAMES. IT BREATHES. IT CRIES. IT SPEAKS. AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LISTEN. BOB: SAD. VERY SAD -- ALL THESE NAMES. ANDY: THE MOVING WALL IS AN EXACT, HALF-SIZED REPLICA OF THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON. IT LISTS THE WAR’S DEAD AND TRAVELS FROM STATE TO STATE, WITH ITS LATEST STOP THIS WEEKEND IN AMHERST KAREN: THOSE NAMES ARE ALL CONNECTED TO A FAMILY WHO’S GRIEVING, WHO HAS SUFFERED A LOSS, BUT IT’S ALSO A REMINDER OF THE SACRIFICE THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE MAKING FOR OUR COUNTRY. ANDY: YOU FIND THAT PEOPLE COME HERE TO THE WALL FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. SOME HAVE FAMILY AND FRIENDS ON IT. OTHERS JUST WANT TO SEE WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. BUT EVERYONE WALKS AWAY SOMEHOW TOUCHED. VICKI: IT WAS AN UNCLE THAT DIED. I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD WHEN HE DIED, SO I DON’T REMEMBER HIM VERY WELL. BUT HE WAS 19. SO IT’S PRETTY SAD. ANDY: THERE ARE 228 FLAGS TO MARK NEW HAMPSHIRE’S FALLEN. THE WALL’S NEXT STOP IS IN MASSACHUSETTS. DEAN MOTTARD SERVED WITH TWO MEN LISTED HERE. HE SAYS WHEN HE LOOKS AT THE WALL, HE SEES THEIR FACES. DEAN: THEY’RE DOWN NOW. THEY’RE JUST NAMES ON THE WALL. MEMORIES. BUT HAVING SOME DRINKS WITH THEM. LAUGHING. YOU KNOW. YOU REMEMBER THAT. STUFF LIKE THIS IS GREAT. IT KEEPS THEM ALIVE.
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Moving Wall brings Vietnam Veterans Memorial to Amherst

Visitors find names of family, friends on wall

A traveling tribute to America's Vietnam veterans is visiting New Hampshire.The Granite State is one of 23 states the Moving Wall will visit this year. It has been on tour since the 1980s, but many who visit it say it brings back memories that are still fresh. The 74 interlocking aluminum panels are etched with the 58,000 names of those who died in the war. "It's sad, very sad," Vietnam veteran Bob Campbell said. "All these names." The Moving Wall is an exact, half-sized replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. It travels from state to state, with its latest stop this weekend in Amherst. "Those names are all connected to a family who's grieving or suffered a loss, but it's also a reminder of the sacrifice those individuals were making for our country," said Karen Thurston, whose friend's father's name is on the wall. Visitors to the wall said they came for different reasons. Some came to see the names of family or friends on the wall. Others said they came to see what it's all about. Everyone said they walked away from it somehow touched. "It was an uncle that died," visitor Vicki Reed said. "I was 8 years old when he died, so I don't remember him very well. But he was 19, so it's pretty sad." There were 228 flags placed by the wall to mark New Hampshire's fallen. The wall's next stop will be in Massachusetts. Veteran Dean Mottard said he served with two men listed on the wall. He said he can see their faces when he looks at the display. "They're down now. They're just names on the wall, memories," he said. "But having some drinks with them, laughing -- I remember that stuff then. This is great. It keeps them alive. Like someone said, as long as someone remembers you, you're never dead."

A traveling tribute to America's Vietnam veterans is visiting New Hampshire.

The Granite State is one of 23 states the Moving Wall will visit this year. It has been on tour since the 1980s, but many who visit it say it brings back memories that are still fresh.

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The 74 interlocking aluminum panels are etched with the 58,000 names of those who died in the war.

"It's sad, very sad," Vietnam veteran Bob Campbell said. "All these names."

The Moving Wall is an exact, half-sized replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. It travels from state to state, with its latest stop this weekend in Amherst.

"Those names are all connected to a family who's grieving or suffered a loss, but it's also a reminder of the sacrifice those individuals were making for our country," said Karen Thurston, whose friend's father's name is on the wall.

Visitors to the wall said they came for different reasons. Some came to see the names of family or friends on the wall. Others said they came to see what it's all about. Everyone said they walked away from it somehow touched.

"It was an uncle that died," visitor Vicki Reed said. "I was 8 years old when he died, so I don't remember him very well. But he was 19, so it's pretty sad."

There were 228 flags placed by the wall to mark New Hampshire's fallen. The wall's next stop will be in Massachusetts.

Veteran Dean Mottard said he served with two men listed on the wall. He said he can see their faces when he looks at the display.

"They're down now. They're just names on the wall, memories," he said. "But having some drinks with them, laughing -- I remember that stuff then. This is great. It keeps them alive. Like someone said, as long as someone remembers you, you're never dead."