Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica arrives in D’Iberville for limited time display

D’IBERVILLE, Miss. (WLOX) - D’Iberville native Diane Moore is a Gold Star daughter. Her first glimpse of “The Wall That Heals” memorial brought strong emotions on Tuesday.

“It’s so heart-rending,” Moore said.

“The Wall that Heals” is a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington.

Like the national monument, it bears the names of thousands of men and women who sacrificed their lives in Vietnam.

Moore says she was 11 years old when her father, Thomas Moore, left home to fight in Vietnam. She said he’s still missing in action 60 years later.

“It’s a difficult life. It’s a difficult story,” Moore said. “It’s like a roller coaster, up and down, up and down.”

The replica travels to hundreds of communities across the country, allowing the names of the fallen to live through family and friends.

The VFW, American Legion and law enforcement gave the wall a special escort from Long Beach to D’Iberville.

Moore said she saw people of all ages lined up on the route.

“I was just amazed driving behind it and it was just, it was emotional,” she said.

D’Iberville American Legion Post 2002 Commander Rick Arbogast said the replica being here means a lot to him as well. He said he attended the dedication of the original memorial wall.

“It touches my heart,” Arbogast said. “Yes, it’s important that people can understand the service and sacrifice of the 58,000-plus men and women who are on the wall.”

Vietnam Veterans Memorial site manager Rodney Gonsalves said visiting this wall will honor all who fought.

“There are some that survived Vietnam. Those that came home, as well as those that passed away and we honor their families as well because when their family member is gone, they see this and they can see that some of the names on here and that we’re trying to do everything that we can and our priority to honor those that served,” Gonsalves said.

“The Wall That Heals” will be on display at the Bobby Eleuterius Sports Complex from April 10 to April 13.

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