Moving Vietnam Veterans Wall in Lockport

Lockport, NY (WBEN) Now until Monday morning, the moving Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall will be open at the Kenan Center. Next door will be a special gallery focusing on the experience of those who served.

Mary Brennan Taylor, co-curator of the I Was There project, says the wall arrived Thursday. " They're able to trace names on the wall, pay their respects, say thank you to the veterans who are here. It's it's a wonderful opportunity, and then while here, be able to see the exhibit, which is in the Keenan Gallery, and that is open also during business hours during the week, and then two to four on the weekend," says Taylor, who notes the wall is an exact replica of the wall in Washington, DC.

Taylor says having it in WNY is important. "Last year was the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, and we felt that it was well overdue time to be able to say welcome home to these Vietnam veterans, thank you for your service. Something that they was really denied to them when they returned from their service, and this has given us an opportunity as a community to be able to put on an exhibit that's really 12 weeks in length to give them that opportunity to be honored and to have the community have an opportunity to see a very immersive exhibit that will give them an idea of what the Vietnam veterans endured and and and their sacrifices, and and be able to say to these veterans thank you," says Tyalor.

Taylor says next door at the Kenan Gallery will be several special exhibits. "Every room has a different theme based on the Vietnam War, unknown stories, the roles that women played, the role that media played. There's also two rooms that are filled with memorabilia from local veterans," says Taylor. She says 500 veterans from WNY died in Vietnam.

Taylor says it is an emotional experience. I"t has been really one of the greatest privileges of my life to be able to be able to work on this, to work with these veterans. But to see the veterans at the wall, it is exceptionally emotional."

Admission is free, and is open 24/7 until Monday morning.