By Jeff Murphy,
November 11, 2016
WARRENSBURG, MO – The same day the University of Central Missouri honored the men
and women who died in military service to the United States, the university also announced
a special summer 2017 event in memory of those who lost their lives during the Vietnam
War. From June 29-July 2, UCM’s McClure Archives and University Museum will host
The Wall That Heals, a mobile half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
(The Wall), in Washington, D.C.
The Wall That Heals is a program of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the founders
of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Wall That Heals exhibit includes a mobile Education
Center, providing more information about the Vietnam War. It features photos of service
members whose names are on The Wall, a timeline of the Vietnam era, and letters and
memorabilia left at The Wall in D.C.
“The purpose of hosting The Wall That Heals is to facilitate dialogues and learning
opportunities about the Vietnam War, to offer a place where veterans and their families
can view the memorial without necessary travel, and to create a site for communities
to share all of those experiences,” said Amber Clifford-Napoleone, associate professor
of anthropology and director of the McClure Archives and University Museum.
She noted that the exhibit is made possible through an extensive and competitive application
process. It is under the auspices of the McClure Archives and University Museum, and
is brought to campus, in part, through funding provided by the Office of the Provost-Chief
Learning Officer. The Archives and University Museum was awarded the opportunity to
host The Wall That Heals as part of the traveling exhibit’s 2017 schedule.
Although plans are still being finalized, leading up to the campus arrival of The
Wall That Heals, the Archives and Museum also will offer an exhibit in spring 2017
that provides a Johnson County perspective related to three military events that are
achieving historic milestones. These commemorative activities include the 100th anniversary
of World War I, the 75th anniversary of World War II, and the 50th anniversary of
the Vietnam War. More information about these activities and opportunities for men
and women who served in the military to submit personal stories and information for
inclusion in this local commemoration will be released in the future.
Consistent with UCM’s goal to provide experiential learning opportunities for students,
Clifford-Napoleone said anthropology students will have the opportunity to staff The
Wall That Heals exhibit, along with other campus and community volunteers, including
veterans and active duty members of Whiteman Air Force Base .
She pointed out that one of UCM’s goals is to increase the number of students who
understand and are committed to engaging in meaningful civic actions, and to focus
the attention of policy makers and opinion leaders on the civic value of the college
experience.
“The Wall That Heals is a unique opportunity for UCM students and community members
to engage in civic action in a concrete way: by engaging in, working with and actively
learning about the memorialization of war in the United States,” Clifford-Napoleone
said. “For much of the American Public, the Vietnam War is not a historical fact,
it is a recent memory and a life-altering event. Vietnam changed America’s civic and
political fabric, and its lasting impact is still felt.”
The Wall That Heals includes the names of more than 58,000 service members who died
or remain missing from their military service in the Vietnam War. Their names are
listed by day of casualty. The display is approximately 250 feet long, and similar
to the original memorial, it is erected in a chevron shape. This exhibit has been
to more than 400 communities across the U.S. A possible boost for Warrensburg tourism
and the local economy, the exhibit typically brings visitors from about 150-mile radius.
To learn more about The Wall That Heals, visit thewallthatheals.org. For more information
about campus activities related to this exhibit, visit the McClure Archives and Museum
website at ucmo.edu/museum or contact Clifford-Napoleone at 660-543-4877, email clifford@ucmo.edu.
