Diverse Crowds Coming To Visit Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall In Hampton Twp.

HAMPTON TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- More than 58,000 names are engraved on the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall, which has been set up in Hampton Township for the Fourth of July weekend.

Two of the people on the wall are from Hampton Township, and they are Charles Dellinger and Richard Bell.

"It's not going to mean as much to the little ones, but it means a lot to the older ones," Bill Coleman said.

Coleman stopped by Hampton Community Park to see his cousin's name engraved on a 360-foot traveling memorial wall. Joel Coleman died in 1966.

"He wasn't there long. He wasn't in the country long. He visited us just before he left. He brought his little baby up to the house," Coleman said.

"One of the things we like about this wall is they do allow the individuals to go up and etch their names on paper. The other traveling wall doesn't allow that," President of Hampton Township Council Victor Son said.

That's exactly what Coleman did.

The wall is an 80 percent replica of the one in Washington, D.C. It's the largest traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall in the United States. The only other traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall is a 60 percent replica.

"I don't remember it being this big and I know it's not as large as the one in D.C.," Carole Coleman said.

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"These guys paid the ultimate price, and freedom is not free," Vietnam veteran Walt Hannigan said.

Hannigan served in the Vietnam War in 1970. He said several of these names are familiar and wanted to stop by to pay his respects.

"We are still healing," Hannigan said. "It's been 50 years and sometimes it seems like yesterday."

The wall will be open to the public 24 hours a day until noon on July 4.