A Veteran Built a Half-Size Wall That Visits Small Towns

In 1982, Vietnam veteran John Devitt went to the dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington and came away with a vow: to share what he felt there with the people who could never make the trip. Four decades later, his answer is still rolling into American towns.

A Promise Made at the Wall

Devitt attended the 1982 ceremonies in Washington and felt the power of the black granite and the names carved into it. According to The Moving Wall organization, he vowed to share that experience with those who did not have the opportunity to go to Washington.

He did not build the answer alone. The organization says he worked with Norris Shears, Gerry Haver and other Vietnam veteran volunteers to make a half-size replica of the memorial.

Tyler, Texas, 1984

The Moving Wall went on display for the first time in Tyler, Texas, in October 1984, two years after the original was dedicated.

The replica runs nearly a football field long, 252.8 feet across 74 panels, and carries more than 58,000 names. As on the memorial in Washington, they are arranged by date of death.

A Week in Every Town

Today two complete structures of The Moving Wall travel the United States from April through November, spending about a week at each site.

It is often met on the road. State troopers or volunteer groups such as the Patriot Guard Riders escort it in on motorcycles.

The 2026 season included an April 24-27 stop at the Bergeron Rodeo Grounds in Davie, Florida, and a September 25-28 stop at the North Iowa Events Center in Mason City, Iowa, where a free stand-down event for veterans ran alongside the display, connecting them with VA benefits, housing help and other local services.

Not the Only Traveling Wall

The Moving Wall is not the same as The Wall That Heals, a separate traveling exhibit run by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. The Moving Wall is the half-size replica Devitt started, still touring under its own name.

Still on the Road

The memorial in Washington stays where it is. The Moving Wall goes to the people, one town and one week at a time, and it is on its way to the next one.