Cadets help assemble 'Wall That Heals'

Cadets at the University of North Georgia (UNG) were part of the group of volunteers who helped assemble "The Wall That Heals" at UNG's Dahlonega Campus on Oct. 30 ahead of that day's 5 p.m. opening ceremony. The traveling Vietnam War memorial will open to the public after the ceremony and is available 24 hours a day until it comes down the afternoon of Nov. 3. Volunteers are on hand to help visitors make the most of the experience.

Edgardo Milan-Delgado, a freshman from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, pursuing a degree in international affairs, said one of the things that struck him most is that the wall is arranged in chronological order of when soldiers lost their lives in Vietnam.

"It's a very rewarding experience. I feel very honored to take part in this," Milan-Delgado said. "It's very somber and eye-opening. It demonstrates how they made the ultimate sacrifice. It's a massive sacrifice that we should recognize more."

Natalie Wortham, a junior from Jefferson, Georgia, pursuing a degree in finance, also was grateful for the chance to take part in putting up the traveling memorial.

"It's been very moving. It's amazing to see all the names," Wortham said. "I've never been able to see the permanent memorial in Washington, D.C., so to have it in Dahlonega is just very touching."

The Wall That Heals includes the names of the 29 UNG alumni and students killed in action in Vietnam, who are listed on the Memorial Wall at the Dahlonega Campus.

Since its dedication on Veterans Day 1996, The Wall That Heals has been displayed in nearly 700 communities throughout the nation. It includes 58,281 names. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, which is responsible for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., selects the locations for The Wall That Heals to visit each year. Dahlonega is one of only two stops in Georgia in 2024.

"We are pleased and proud that Dahlonega and UNG have been selected to host The Wall That Heals. We hope that this will be an opportunity for our community to learn about and honor the sacrifices that our veterans and their families experienced during the Vietnam War," Bill Poole, chairman of the Lumpkin County Veterans Affairs Committee, the principal sponsor for the application to host The Wall That Heals, said.

More information is available on The Wall That Heals Dahlonega-Lumpkin County webpage.