The travelling Vietnam Memorial Wall (AVTT) will once again return to the Ocean State September 8-10^th. The display features an 80% to scale version of the Vietnam Wall Memorial in Washington D.C. Spanning over 300 feet, the wall will adorn Rhode Island’s coastline along Rocky Point Park.

The weekend long display will be hosted by the Gaspee Day Committee, the City of Warwick, Operation Stand Down Rhode Island, and RI 250. The display will commemorate the 50^th Anniversary of the Paris Peace Accord. The Paris Peace accord effectively ended the decade long war and restored peace to Vietnam.  The announcement was made Wednesday, March 29^th, National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

“Two hundred and nine Rhode Islanders made the ultimate sacrifice in the War in Vietnam.”  said Erik B. Wallin, Esq, Executive Director of Operation Stand Down Rhode Island.   “Many more came home with debilitating visible and invisible scars of war which to this day they still suffer from. This is apparent every day through the work we do at OSDRI as the Vietnam Era Veteran continues to be a demographic in serious need of services. This display will be a way to honor all those who served and sacrificed in Vietnam and most of all those who did not make it home,” said Wallin. 

“There are still over 20,000 Vietnam Era Veterans who live in Rhode Island.  For them and their families it is important for us to commemorate their service and the 50^th Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War is a fitting time to do so,” said Past Gaspee Days Committee President Mark Russell, who is one of the organizers.

The City of Warwick is excited to welcome the wall and all its spectators. “Vietnam Veterans were not given the honors or recognition they deserved at the time of their service and for sacrifices for their country. We can never stop making that up to them. I can think of no other place more apropos to display this tribute than the treasured and revered Rocky Point State Park. This location has meant a lot to Warwick residents and all Rhode Islanders for generations,” remarked Warwick Mayor Frank J. Picozzi.

Organizers will be raising money to bring the memorial to Rhode Island.  Net proceeds will go to support the mission of OSDRI, Rhode Island’s largest non-profit veterans organization providing housing, employment, legal, and basic needs assistance to local veterans.  “It was the homeless Vietnam Veterans on the street that inspired me and two others to start Operation Stand Down RI in 1993,” said Operation Stand Down RI’s founder and Board Chairman Tony DeQuattro.

Over, thirty years later OSDRI has grown significantly and continues to serve veterans of all eras and wars with a wide range of services.

“In the end, all of us who served are connected as brothers and sisters forever and it’s important to remind the public of the sacrifices made in the cause of freedom no matter when made,” said DeQuattro. 

The American Veteran Traveling Tribute Memorial, Traveling Wall will be free to visit and open on Friday September 8^th twenty-four hours a day until 5:00 pm on September 10^th.   A reading of the 209 Rhode Island Fallen will occur at 2:09 p.m. each afternoon along with other tributes.

Those interested in information about sponsorship opportunities and other information can visit the events page of Operation Stand Down Rhode Island www.OSDRI.org.

The projected cost of bringing the wall to Rocky Point is $11,000. Wallin said some of that has been raised and that donations are welcome. Donations can be sent payable to OSDRI at 1010 Hartford Avenue, Johnston, RI 02919.  They are tax deductible as a 501(c)(3).   They can also be made online.