The Mobile Vietnam Memorial Wall for the Antelope Valley will be on display Nov. 6-12 at the Palmdale Amphitheater, 2723 Rancho Vista Blvd. Admission is free.
The historic reproduction of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., is open to the public 24 hours a day with a theme this year: “Women of the Vietnam War.” There will be ceremonies including female veterans, and performers as well as other participants. An official opening ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. Nov. 6 and Taps will be played nightly at 10 p.m.
On Nov. 7 at 9 p.m., a Candlelight Memorial Walk will honor the eight American women who died during the Vietnam War and the 76 soldiers who hailed from the Antelope Valley. The “AV 76” have their names inscribed on the Wall. On Veterans Day, 11 a.m. Nov. 11, the annual Veterans Day service will be co-hosted by the Antelope Valley Service Organization and the AV Wall organization. This celebration will honor all American veterans.
The AV Wall is considered to be one of the rarest, home-grown memorials of its kind anywhere in the United States and represents the Antelope Valley’s commitment to the men and women who served—and gave their lives—for their country.
Palmdale’s Signs and Designs Inc. designed and fabricated the AV Wall. From 2005-2009, more than $100,000 was raised locally to build the Wall. It was dedicated at a ceremony on Nov. 13, 2009 at Joe Davies Heritage Airpark at Palmdale Plant 42.
This year’s six-day display is staffed by volunteers, veterans and local service organizations. All volunteers undergo in-depth training so they can provide visitors with the best possible experience. These volunteers will assist in finding names in the computer database, help locate names on the Wall, and provide information about the Wall design and layout.
For more details, call (661) 524-6408 or visit www.avwall.org.
