Medal Of Honor Recipient To Speak At Wall That Heals Ceremony

JOHNS CREEK, GA -- A special guest will deliver the keynote address during the ceremony of The Wall That Heals' arrival in Johns Creek.

Medal of Honor Recipient Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins, U.S. Army (Ret.) is scheduled to be the guest of honor during the event, which will get underway at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 30.

The opening ceremony marks a four-day visit by the 250-foot replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, along with a mobile Education Center, near the Mark Burkhalter Amphitheater in Newtown Park.

The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War, and bears the names of the more than 58,000 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.

Adkins distinguished himself during 38 hours of close-combat fighting against enemy forces in Vietnam between March 9-12, 1966. Despite being wounded, Adkins continued to fight enemy forces, helped to evacuate injured soldiers, and rallied the remaining survivors and led the group into the jungle where they evaded the enemy for 48 hours until they were rescued by helicopter.

• The full transcript of Adkins’ story and Medal of Honor citation can viewed here.
  

The Wall That Heals provides a community with a multi-day experience of reflection that includes an educational experience for local schools and organizations on the history of the Vietnam era and The Wall. The exhibit includes The Wall replica and a mobile education center that comprises digital displays of photos of service members whose names are on The Wall; letters and memorabilia left at The Wall by visitors; a map of Vietnam; and a chronological overview of the Vietnam War.

The exhibits tell the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the era surrounding the conflict, and are designed to place American experiences in Vietnam in an historical and cultural context.

The Wall That Heals will be available free to the public 24 hours a day throughout its stay. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund coordinates local stops of The Wall That Heals and the accompanying mobile Education Center.

The current schedule and more information can be found at www.thewallthatheals.org.

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