Traveling Vietnam memorial on display in Blue Ridge

BLUE RIDGE, GA – The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall is now on display in Blue Ridge.

The memorial contains the names of 58,307 soldiers lost during the conflict; their names displayed in white upon a polished black marble surface.

Fannin County natives listed on the wall include Leslie Howard Cantrell, Jewell Robert Green, David Mack Herendon, Jeppie Joseph Payne, Donald Wayne Queen, and John Arthur Swords.

They are among the soldiers who lost their lives in combat during the nearly two decades of the conflict.

The traveling memorial is three-fifths the size of the federal memorial located in Washington, D.C., but is otherwise identical.

The traveling memorial was erected Thursday, Oct. 3, and will stand in place until Monday, Oct. 7.

The memorial’s visit is sponsored by the Fannin County Veterans. The display will be open 24 hours per day for visitors while it is in Blue Ridge. The wall is located behind the Chamber of Commerce at 235 Orvin Lance Drive.

There will be a memorial service held at the wall beginning at 10 a.m., Friday, Oct. 4. Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston will give remarks, as will Vietnam veteran George Nelson.

On Sunday, there will be an opening ceremony at 10 a.m. featuring a prayer and the choir from the United Methodist Church with speaker, Vietnam veteran Rick White.

The traveling memorial visits Collierville, Tennessee, from Oct. 17 through Oct. 21.

Click here for more information on the memorial.