By Thomas Sellers Jr.
All wars and military conflicts have left a lasting impact on the United States America.
Arguably the most impactful battle in American history was the Vietnam War. From 1961 to 1975, the United States sent nearly 3 million troops to the conflict with several thousands not returning home. Those who died during the Vietnam War are immortalized in Washington D.C. at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Several years ago a traveling version of the public tribute was constructed and has made the rounds around the country. Scheduled for Sept. 22-26, 2022, the traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall will be in Millington at Abandoned Antiques located at 8323 Highway 51 North.
“We’re having a 10-foot wide walkway put through,” Abandoned Antiques Manager Judi Peery noted. “It will be wide enough that if two people are in a wheelchair they’ll both have room to pass. There will be plenty of room for everybody. It’s going to look real nice. It’s going to be where we’ll have our Field of Honor. It will be highly visible off Highway 51.”
The Wall is a 3/5 scale of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. It stands six feet tall at the center and covers almost 300 feet from end to end.
This Traveling Memorial stands as a reminder of the great sacrifices made during the Vietnam War. It was made for the purpose of helping heal and rekindle friendships and to allow people the opportunity to visit loved ones in their home town who otherwise may not be able to make the trip to Washington.
The Wall is currently on display at Naples Church until Nov. 15 in Naples, Fla. Then the wall will reappear April 21-24, 2022 at Crystal Harley Davidson at 1147 South Suncoast Blvd., in Homosassa, Fla.
American Legion Post 1 Post Commander Terry Adams proudly represents the oldest Legion in the state of Tennessee serving since 1919. It was 20 years ago that Adams and the crew brought the traveling wall to the Mid-South area on Germantown Parkway.
“We all know what happened on September 11 of that year,” Adams recalled. “There was Americanism everywhere. You couldn’t buy a flag, you couldn’t find a flag, you couldn’t even steal one. Today you can see them lying on the ground. Americanism has waned.
“We’ve just had this thing in Afghanistan where people were killed because things went wrong,” he continued. “We know as Vietnam veterans how these Iraqi and Afghan feel to have the carpet pulled out from underneath them. They need to come out and talk to us. We know what they’re feeling.”
Adams said the upcoming visit of the wall to Millington and the Memphis area is a chance for outreach and healing.
“How many of us have been part of that 22 a day committing suicide,” he asked rehtorically. “My own brother was one of those. He came back from Vietnam and couldn’t handle it. He committed suicide. It’s a shame that he didn’t reach out when he should have and we didn’t see the signs.”
Adams has a bond with the names that appear on the Wall serving in the Vietnam War. The traveling wall is also a chance to educate.
“We are more than willing to talk to the people and explain how we feel and how we survived,” he said. “There were between 58,184 to 59,814, I am not sure where all those numbers come from, that were killed in Vietnam. I think 2.7 million served there. That doesn’t include all the ones who came back and then checked out. The number who died there are the names on the wall. But PTSD ran rapidly at the time.
“These young folks today who are Iraqi, Afghan and Gulf War vets need to come out and talk to us,” Adams added. “Come out and see this wall to understand these are people we knew and we know they lost friends and people over there. Come out and be a part of this and bring your family out to talk to us even if they won’t. You can’t find out things just in a book. You have to live it.”
Peery said those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, served our country and are related to soldiers can fellowship when the Wall arrives in town.
“The whole store is a chance for people to come in and fellowship,” she said. “With this wall, the friends and family who had soldiers or who have soldiers who are still in it’s a learning experience. Yes it is another time to gather.
“But it is such a strong piece of our history,” Peery continued. “Our military, our country, our flag is being trampled on. Anything I can do to bring a positive view and remind people of the sacrifices of these men and women, so we can have the freedom to have that field and have that wall. It’s a great honor to be a part of it.”
Peery’s connection to the wall comes from the men in her family suiting up in the uniforms of the U.S. Military.
“I did not serve but my son and grandfather served along with several members of my family,” she said. “The family members who don’t serve, we’re serving in a different way. My son was over there three times. I was still with him. It’s a great time to bring honor to our country and the men and women as a whole. Without division of any kind. We’re all Americans. It’s a great time to come together and show some love, respect and we are still who we are.”
Adams said he is grateful for the team at Abandoned Antique leading the charge to get the Wall to the Memphis area in 2022.
“Agreement with Abandoned Antiques, American Legion and sponsors to have a proper location for it,” he said. “Then they send us their list of things they need like security etc. It’s going to take more than a few dollars to do it, more than I carry in my pocket for sure. “There are other expenses that are going to come up, that have come up already,” Adams added. “So we’ll be doing various fundraisers. I know the local VFW (7175) here and the one down in Memphis are going to have buckets out so we can take donations.”
Back in 2001, around 63,000 people showed up to see the Wall. Since then a couple of military conflicts have taken place giving the Wall more meaning.
“I am honored to have Abandoned Antiques and our corporate sponsors working with us,” Adams said. “It shows us people still care.”
Peery said she hopes other businesses will join the cause, the public will make plans to attend in September and the Wall unites this portion of the country.
“I feel like (the wall) picked us,” she said. “Obvisiously we’re an antique store. But we’re veteran owned, we have several non-profit groups in here including American Legion Post 1 and the Ladies Auxiliary.
“We just had our Field of Honor,” Peery concluded. “So we’re very pro-Vets. We love our vets and we love our country. We have an opportunity where we can express that. Whether it’s selling a product and donating the money to the non-profits. Bringing positivity to our flag, the rioting and burning of the flag, stomping on the flag we proudly fly our flag.”
