‘Wall That Heals’ Comes To Ohio Valley This Week
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Starting this week, the Ohio Valley will welcome a monument to Vietnam War veterans that normally isn’t seen outside of Washington D.C.
“The Wall That Heals,” a three-quarter sized replica of Washington D.C.’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will make its way from Ohio County to the Belmont County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, and then will be open 24 hours a day Oct. 1-4 for guests to view it. The memorial honors the millions who served in the Vietnam War, including those who lost their lives. The 58,281 killed in that war have their names etched into the memorial.
Events begin Tuesday when, at noon, the truck carrying the Wall That Heals will depart from Bass Pro Shops at The Highlands with a motorcade escort and make its way from Ohio County to the fairgrounds. It will drive past several schools and other public sites so that residents can watch and cheer as it passes.
The tentative schedule is as follows:
Noon — depart from Bass Pro Shops
12:07 — Reach the Interstate 70 Exit in Elm Grove
12:08 — Drive past Bridge Street Middle School
12:10 — Drive past the Wheeling Park entrance
12:12 — Drive past Triadelphia Middle School and Steenrod Elementary School
12:14 — Drive past St. Michaels Parish
12:16 — Drive past Woodsdale Elementary
12:21 — Drive past Madison Elementary
12:23 — Drive past Bridgeport City Hall
12:27 — Drive past Bridgeport High School
12:41 — Drive past St. Clairsville Schools
12:43 — Drive past the Belmont County Courthouse
12:45 — Drive past St. Mary’s Central School
12:50 — Drive past East Richland Christian School
12:56 — Arrive at Belmont County Fairgrounds
The public is welcomed to stand and cheer along the truck’s path from West Virginia to Ohio. The escort procession also will be livestreamed by Belmont County Tourism.
Wednesday will see the wall set up and volunteers go through orientation. The site will be open to the public Thursday, which will feature a “Welcome Home” opening ceremony at the Belmont County Fairgrounds at noon. On Friday, the wall will host a “Light The Night” event at 7:45 p.m. A closing ceremony will be held at 1:45 p.m. Sunday. “Taps” will be played at dusk on both Thursday and Saturday.