Traveling Vietnam wall brings tribute to fallen service members to Mt. Pleasant

At nearly 300 feet long and 6 feet tall, the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall is a three-fifths scale replica of the original in Washington, D.C.

Like the one that inspired it, the mobile wall destined for Mt. Pleasant lists the names of more than 58,000 Americans who gave their lives in the Vietnam War. Local pub owner and military veteran James D. Gallagher Jr. believes the smaller wall can have just as large of an impact on those who come to the borough to view it.

Gallagher is sponsoring the local stop by the wall, which will be on display at Frick Park around the clock from 10 a.m. on Thursday until 2 p.m. on Sunday.

“It’s all about the healing process,” Gallagher said. “That’s why the (Vietnam) veterans come, to see the names of their comrades in arms.”

“All veterans are welcome, but we want people to give these guys some of the recognition they never got when they came home.”

Gallagher, who served in the Marines and the Army, helped support the wall’s previous visit to Smithton. He is dedicating the Mt. Pleasant display to his late father, 20-year Army veteran James D. Gallagher Sr., who completed one tour in Korea and two in Vietnam.

“Vietnam veterans are near and dear to my heart,” the younger Gallagher said.

An honor guard of local veterans will participate in an opening ceremony for the wall display, set for 10 a.m. on Thursday, according to Joe Zelenak, Mt. Pleasant Veterans of Foreign Wars post commander.

“Four of my (VFW) officers are Vietnam veterans, and they’re excited about the wall,” he said.

Local veterans will help provide security at Frick Park during the wall’s stay.

Members of the VFW-affiliated Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, as well as representatives of the area charitable group Bikers Helping Others, will be among units escorting the Vietnam wall to Frick Park on Wednesday morning.

Police also are expected to accompany the trailer that transports the wall from a gathering point off Interstate 70 at Bentleyville. A Huey helicopter is slated to fly overhead.

Brigadier General John Pippy, director of joint staff with the Pennsylvania National Guard, will be among speakers at the opening ceremony — along with Doc Russo, the wall manager.

Founded by a Florida veterans group, the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall will head to Mt. Pleasant from its most recent stopover in Tennessee.

It will be accompanied by companion memorials honoring service members killed in more recent wars and those who lost their lives as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The wall display can elicit a range of emotions from visitors, Russo has observed.

“It could be sorrow, or it could be happiness,” he said. “It may be a grandpa bringing his grandchildren to see the names of buddies he lost, or a wife coming to see a husband who passed.

“It gives people a chance for closure after they’ve been carrying this around for 50 years and never got to the memorial in Washington.”

Materials will be available for those who want to make rubbings of the names of loved ones on the memorial.

Russo said, “A number of people come who have no name to look up. They just come out and pay their respects.”