The La Salle Institute and the city of Troy are hosting a traveling exhibit honoring Vietnam-era servicemembers.
Cheri Pierce co-chairs “The Wall That Heals” Troy Committee. She says the Collar City is one of 30 chosen out of 140 applicants to host the display on its 30th anniversary tour. It will be on display June 5-8 at La Salle Institute.
"'The Wall That Heals' is the only traveling exhibit affiliated with the wall in Washington, DC, and includes a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, making it the largest wall to travel the country. It also honors more than 3 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed forces in the Vietnam War. The wall bears the name of 58,281, service members who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam," Pierce said.
La Salle Institute has a military tradition and lost five cadets during the Vietnam War.
Pierce says when Vietnam vets came home, many were ridiculed, shamed and spat upon. Republican state Senator Jake Ashby is a veteran who represents the 43rd District. He says the exhibit is a chance to show appreciation instead. "They did not have the same opportunities as other veterans did when they returned home because of the dynamic that surrounded the war and the culture at that time, and they made sure that veterans future generations, veterans like myself, did not experience that," said Ashby.
Pierce says bringing the replica along with its Mobile Education Center to the Capital Region benefits those who couldn’t travel to DC to visit the original.
The 53 foot tractor-trailer will be met in Schodack and escorted to La Salle at noon on June 3rd. "Law enforcement motorcyclists and motorists riding vintage vehicles years 1955 to 75, will begin a 16-mile journey leaving the House of Praise in Schodack. The escort will travel down routes 9 and 20 through East Greenbush and turn onto Broadway in Rensselaer. It will continue the full length of Broadway to Washington Avenue and into Defreestville, the escort will turn left over four and continue to proceed to Williams road until it reaches La Salle Institute," Pierce said.
200 volunteer positions supporting the exhibit need to be filled, so Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello is calling on residents to sign up to lend a hand, and also show their appreciation by lining the parade route.
"They need volunteers, so just please come out, show that Troy and Rensselaer County, that that we love our veterans, we care about our veterans, and we're here for you," Mantello said.
The free exhibit will be open 24 hours a day. The Mobile Education Center will be highlighting hometown heroes and tracking the wall's history.
