American Legion Post 33 and the city of Independence, Ore., will be hosting The Wall that Heals this September with an opening ceremony to be on the 18th. There were over 140 applicants to host the wall this year, and Independence was one of 31 selected to host. This exhibit is a 3/4 scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. and is maintained by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. (VVMF). There is a 51-foot trailer that transports the panels that become a museum display giving information about the war, items left behind at the Wall in Washington and displays hometown heroes and photos and bios of those veterans who died after the war from the effects of serving in Vietnam. The link for volunteer signup is https://www.signupgenius.com/ go/10C0A44AEAA28ABF5C70-54787086-thewall#/
Independence has the first Vietnam veterans memorial in Oregon and is located in Veterans Plaza on Main Street. This memorial was hand-built by three Vietnam veterans.

Semper Fi,
Billy Whisenant
Commander, American Legion Post 33, Independence
Co-chair of hosting committee for bringing The Wall That Heals to Independence
USMC 66-70
tour Vietnam 67-68