Breckenridge Texan

Ranger College is hosting The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., offering area residents to see the monument. The exhibit, which is free and open to the public, will remain at the Main Campus located at 1240 College Circle through about 1:30 p.m. Sunday, April 26.

After the memorial is dismantled in Ranger, the trailer taking the monument to Butler, Missouri, will stop in Breckenridge, giving those who don’t make it to Ranger a chance to see some of the exhibit that accompanies the memorial. Breckenridge native Danyele Young Jans will be transporting the exhibit from Ranger to Missouri and is planning to stop here Sunday evening. Although the exhibit will not be unpacked and set up like it is in Ranger, Jans hopes to be able to open the windows on the trailer, displaying some of the exhibits in the traveling museum.

At this time, Jans isn’t sure exactly when she will be in Breckenridge; she has permission to park in the Walmart parking lot and will let the Breckenridge Texan know when she’s here. We will post a notice on the Breckenridge Texan’s Facebook page to let the community know when she is here.

According to the Ranger College website, The Wall That Heals travels nationwide in a custom 53-foot trailer that transforms into a Mobile Education Center. The center shares the history of the Vietnam War, the creation of The Wall that Heals, and how the memorial changed how America honors its veterans.

Standing 375 feet long and rising to 7.5 feet at its highest point, the replica mirrors the somber dignity of the original memorial in Washington, D.C. Etched into its surface are the names of more than 58,000 American service members who gave their lives or remain missing in action.

Accompanying the Wall is the Mobile Education Center, a traveling museum provides a deeper dive into the era, featuring:

• Historic photographs and personal stories from the front lines.
• Physical artifacts left at the Wall by visitors over the decades.
• Digital resources to help families and students research specific service members.

The exhibit is designed to be an immersive experience for veterans, families, and students alike. To accommodate all visitors, the site will be free and open to the public 24 hours a day during its stay in Ranger. While the event is free, donations are being accepted to support the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s mission to continue traveling the exhibit across the nation.

The exhibit will conclude with the retiring of the colors, closing remarks, and the sounding of Taps at 1:45 p.m. Sunday, April 26, honoring the service, sacrifice, and legacy of Vietnam veterans. Following the closing ceremony, the exhibit will be dismantled and packed up for the trip to Missouri – with the brief stop in Breckenridge.

(Courtesy Photo)