Bringing History and Healing to Communities
A replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. is coming to Independence, Oregon September 18-21 2025.
This event has ended. — We are grateful to all who visited and honored our veterans. —This event has ended. — We are grateful to all who visited and honored our veterans. —
Bringing History and Healing to Communities
A replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. is coming to Independence, Oregon September 18-21 2025.
A Tribute to Courage and Sacrifice
A FREE event that will be on display at the Sports Park off Deann Dr. in Independence, OR.
A motorcycle escort will kick off the event September 16, then open to the public from September 18-21, 2025 (closes Sunday at 2 pm).
A FREE event that will be on display at the Sports Park off Deann Dr. in Independence, OR.
A motorcycle escort will kick off the event September 16, then open to the public from September 18-21, 2025 (closes Sunday at 2 pm).
Experience The Wall That Heals in Independence, OR, a powerful traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This free event offers a chance to honor the sacrifices of Vietnam veterans, explore the Education Center, and participate in guided tours. The memorial will be open 24/7 from September 18-21, 2025 (closes Sunday at 2 pm), with a motorcycle escort kicking off the event on September 16, 2025.
In 2023, The Wall That Heals traveled nearly 18,000 miles, visiting 32 communities across the country and escorted by nearly 3,000 vehicles. It shared its healing legacy with more than 222,000 visitors, providing guided tours to over 21,000.
Check the schedule for special ceremonies, volunteer opportunities, and more ways to engage with this moving tribute.
Experience The Wall That Heals in Independence, OR, a powerful traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This free event offers a chance to honor the sacrifices of Vietnam veterans, explore the Education Center, and participate in guided tours. The memorial will be open 24/7 from September 18-21, 2025 (closes Sunday at 2 pm), with a motorcycle escort kicking off the event on September 16, 2025.
In 2023, The Wall That Heals traveled nearly 18,000 miles, visiting 32 communities across the country and escorted by nearly 3,000 vehicles. It shared its healing legacy with more than 222,000 visitors, providing guided tours to over 21,000.
Check the schedule for special ceremonies, volunteer opportunities, and more ways to engage with this moving tribute.
Traveling to Communities Throughout the US
The Wall That Heals is a program of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), the nonprofit behind the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. As the only traveling exhibit affiliated with The Wall, it features the largest replica to tour the country, honoring over three million Americans who served in the Vietnam War and bearing the names of the 58,281 who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Honor Vietnam Veterans Lost After Their Return Through the In Memory Honor Roll Program.
Since the end of the Vietnam War, thousands of veterans have suffered from the lasting effects of Agent Orange exposure, PTSD, and other service-related illnesses. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund believes that all who served in Vietnam deserve to be honored and remembered. The In Memory Honor Roll program gives families and friends the opportunity to ensure their loved ones who returned home but later passed away are forever memorialized.
Apply by August 17, 2025 to be included on the display in Independence, OR.
The Wall Replica: Honoring Vietnam Veterans Nationwide
The Wall That Heals exhibit showcases a three-quarter-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. As visitors approach the apex, they experience the wall rising above them, mirroring the powerful design of the original memorial.
Honor Vietnam Veterans Lost After Their Return Through the In Memory Honor Roll Program.
Since the end of the Vietnam War, thousands of veterans have suffered from the lasting effects of Agent Orange exposure, PTSD, and other service-related illnesses. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund believes that all who served in Vietnam deserve to be honored and remembered. The In Memory Honor Roll program gives families and friends the opportunity to ensure their loved ones who returned home but later passed away are forever memorialized.
Apply by August 17, 2025 to be included on the display in Independence, OR.
Motorcycle Escort Welcomes The Wall That Heals on September 16, 2025
Join us for a powerful and unforgettable experience by participating in the motorcycle escort to welcome The Wall That Heals to Independence, Oregon. This heartfelt ride honors Vietnam veterans and marks the arrival of this important memorial. Your participation in the escort is a meaningful way to show support and pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed. Don’t miss this chance to be part of a memorable and moving event.
Contact Dennis Sebring for more information:
Schedule of Events
Seeing The Wall That Heals is like standing in the presence of history, where the past and the present meet. It’s a reminder that healing begins when we remember, and freedom is never forgotten.
- 1:00 PM – Convoy departs Salem with motorcycle escort
- 2:10 PM – Arrival at Independence Sports Park, brief welcome ceremony, trailer opened for viewing
- Evening – Trailer moved to final display location
- 8:30 AM – Wall unloading and construction begins
- 6:00 PM – Volunteer Orientation
- Taps at Sunset – experience the solemn tribute of Taps, a moment of reflection and remembrance for all who sacrificed.
Construction of The Wall That Heals begins at 8:30 AM. Volunteer opportunities are available for residents of Polk County and surrounding communities to assist with setting up the memorial. Your help is invaluable in bringing this important tribute to life, and we invite you to join us in honoring the Vietnam veterans and their families by being part of this meaningful event.
The Wall That Heals is open 24 hours a day, allowing visitors to pay their respects at any time starting today.
6:00 PM – Welcome Home Ceremony
- Oregon Army National Guard helicopter flyover
- Remarks from Mayor Kate Schwarzler, Billy Whisenant (USMC Veteran), and John McArdle
- Wreath laying with prayer and gun salute
Taps at Sunset – experience the solemn tribute of Taps, a moment of reflection and remembrance for all who sacrificed.
The Wall That Heals is open 24 hours a day, allowing visitors to pay their respects at any time.
7:20 PM – Ceremony begins
- Flag Presentation by ORARNG Color Guard & Knights of Columbus
- PTSD & Agent Orange Awareness Candlelight Ceremony
- Bagpipe performance
- “Echo” Taps
- Lights return to white
Day of Reflection – September 20, 2025
The Wall That Heals is open 24 hours a day, allowing visitors to pay their respects at any time.
- Taps at Sunset, experience the solemn tribute of Taps, a moment of reflection and remembrance for all who sacrificed.
Closing Ceremony – September 21, 2025
The Wall That Heals is open till 2:00 pm, allowing visitors to pay their respects one last time.
- 1:45 PM – Closing Ceremony: thanks to volunteers & sponosors
- 1:58 PM – Final Taps
- 2:00 PM – Wall disasembly begins
- 3:00 PM – Avenue of Flags taken down
Wall Location
To reach the site, turn at Deann Dr road, then drive through the RiverPlace apartment complex to the Sports Park located at the back.
Ample parking is available for all visitors.
For a full schedule of events and details, please refer to the schedule section.
Directions For:
Wall Location
The Wall That Heals will be on display at the Sports Park in Independence, OR, accessible from Deann Dr.
To reach the site, turn at Deann Dr road, then drive through the RiverPlace apartment complex to the Sports Park located at the back.
Ample parking is available for all visitors.
The Wall That Heals will be open 24/7 from September 18-21, 2025, closing at 2 PM on the final day for dismantling.
For a full schedule of events and details, please refer to the schedule section.
If you’re traveling from the Salem, Corvallis, or McMinnville, area follow these directions to easily reach The Wall That Heals in Independence. Plan your route ahead for a smooth and timely arrival.
Directions For:
Mobile Education Center
Exhibits provide a deeper understanding of the memorial’s legacy and the personal stories behind it. These displays highlight the significance of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and showcase a collection of items left at The Wall—symbols of love, remembrance, and honor from those who continue to pay tribute to the fallen.
Features from the Education Center That connect Generations to the lives and legacies of those who served.
Hometown Heros
Photos of service members on The Wall who list their home of record from the local area.
Items Left Behind
Displays of items representative of those left at The Wall in Washington, D.C. in remembrance of those on The Wall.
In Memory Plaque
A replica of the In Memory plaque that resides on the grounds of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site in Washington, D.C.
In Memory
Honors veterans who returned home and later died. Digital photos are of In Memory honorees from the state where the exhibit is on display.
Honor Vietnam Veterans Lost After Their Return Through the In Memory Honor Role Program.
Since the end of the Vietnam War, thousands of veterans have suffered from the lasting effects of Agent Orange exposure, PTSD, and other service-related illnesses. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund believes that all who served in Vietnam deserve to be honored and remembered. The In Memory Honor Roll program gives families and friends the opportunity to ensure their loved ones who returned home but later passed away are forever memorialized.
Apply by August 17, 2025 to be included on the display in Independence, OR.
Honor Vietnam Veterans Lost After Their Return Through the In Memory Honor Roll Program.
Since the end of the Vietnam War, thousands of veterans have suffered from the lasting effects of Agent Orange exposure, PTSD, and other service-related illnesses. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund believes that all who served in Vietnam deserve to be honored and remembered. The In Memory Honor Roll program gives families and friends the opportunity to ensure their loved ones who returned home but later passed away are forever memorialized.
Apply by August 17, 2025 to be included on the display in Independence, OR.
Hometown Heroes: Honoring the Brave from Our Polk County Community
During the event, those service members whose names are on The Wall and who listed communities in Polk County as their home of record will be included on a screen titled “Hometown Hero’s” and displayed in the Mobile Education Center.
The Wall of Faces honors all those who died in the Vietnam War and whose names are memorialized on The Wall.
Tours
Open To All — No Registration is required to visit The Wall That Heals. You are welcome to explore at any time that fits your schedule. All displays are open for self-guided tours, allowing you to experience The Wall That Heals and the Mobile Education Center at your own pace.
For groups seeking a more in-depth experience, guided tours provide a unique educational opportunity unlike any other—even compared to the Memorial in Washington, D.C. Led by a trained Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund staff member, these tours are designed to engage visitors and students of all ages. Each group will explore the Mobile Education Center and The Wall That Heals with expert guidance.
Show Your Support
Be a Part of This Meaningful Tribute to Our Veterans
Bringing The Wall That Heals to our community relies on those who step up to help. Whether through hands-on support, financial contributions, or community partnerships, every effort honors our Vietnam veterans and preserves their stories.
Events like this require teamwork and resources to provide a meaningful experience. Your involvement creates a space for healing, reflection, and tribute, ensuring this powerful memorial reaches as many people as possible.
Ways You Can Help…
Sponsorships and donations both play a role in making events like The Wall That Heals possible. Sponsors are typically recognized for their contributions, as their support often includes a desire for public visibility or acknowledgment. Donors generously give without expectation of return, motivated by a shared commitment to honor and remembrance.
Whichever way you choose to support, your contribution is deeply appreciated and helps bring this powerful tribute to life in our community.
Volunteer Your Time
Volunteer Your Time
Volunteer to help visitors have a meaningful experience. Join us from September 18 – September 21 to welcome and honor those who served.
Shifts are available around the clock, rain or shine.
Training will be held on Wed. Sept. 17th at 6 p.m. at the Independence Sports Park, 100 Deanne Dr. Independence OR.
Sign up to make a difference!
Become A Sponsor
Become A Sponsor
Help bring The Wall That Heals to Polk County by becoming a sponsor. Your support is essential to making this tribute a reality.
Sponsorships will fund site preparation, volunteer resources, visitor amenities, and event promotion—ensuring a meaningful experience for all.
Join us in honoring our veterans and making this event a success.
Help By Donating
Help By Donating
Help bring The Wall That Heals to Independence—Oregon’s only 2025 host site.
Donations will help cover associated costs without public visibility or acknowledgement.
Sponsorships are also available and include recognized visibility.
We deeply appreciate every contribution—your support makes this tribute possible. Thank you!
Hosts & Sponsors
Post 33
Independence, OR
Thank You
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who have generously supported The Wall That Heals—including those whose contributions may not be featured on this page. Every donation, big or small, helps bring this nationally recognized memorial experience to Independence and honors those who served. Your support truly matters.
Photo & Video Gallery
What A Great Experience For Everyone
From honoring veterans and learning in the Mobile Education Center to volunteering and attending special ceremonies, there are countless ways to be part of this meaningful tribute. Browse the moments that make this event unforgettable and find your way to engage, reflect, and support.
Enjoy Local Hospitality While Honoring Our Veterans
No food is allowed at The Wall That Heals but you can find great food, cozy lodging, and local attractions to enhance your visit —make it more than a trip, make it an adventure!
Enjoy Local Hospitality While Honoring Our Veterans
No food is allowed at The Wall That Heals but you can find great food, cozy lodging, and local attractions to enhance your visit—make it more than a trip, make it an adventure!
Contact Us
Contact Us
We’re Here to Help!
Have questions about The Wall That Heals? We’re here to help! Whether you need details about the schedule, volunteering, or planning your visit, feel free to reach out. You can also check the FAQ section for quick answers to common questions.
Have questions about The Wall That Heals? We’re here to help! Whether you need details about the schedule, volunteering, or planning your visit, feel free to reach out. You can also check the FAQ section for quick answers to common questions.
