The Moving Wall
Jefferson County Chapter 416 Birmingham, Alabama
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| During the week preceding Veteran's Day of 1987, the half scale replica of the Vietnam Wall was displayed at the Kelly Ingram Park in Birmingham, AL. A large number of Vietnam Veterans volunteered to participate as guides for finding names and to answer questions about the Vietnam War. During the week, a great sense of camaraderie, brotherhood and friendship developed between these men and their families. At the end of the week, a group of these veterans, most previously unknown to each other, decided to organize a local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans Of America. |
The Moving Wall |
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In January 1989, almost 100 Veterans and their families gathered at the Vietnam Veterans Resource Center to begin forming a chapter. An interim body of officers were chosen and over the next two years and much hard work, the group met the requirements for a charter as Jefferson County Chapter 416 of the Vietnam Veterans of America. Then VVA President Mary Stout presented the VVA Charter to the Chapter on January 2, 1990. The first elected officers were William B. Cox, President; Scottie Blakie, Vice-president; Alfred W. Tomlin, Treasurer; Thomas R. Hooks, III, Secretary; and Clifford Clark, Sergeant- at- Arms.
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Labor Day Weekend Interstate "Traveler's Rest Stop" |
Since then, Chapter 416 has been involved in many community projects in the City of Birmingham and around the state. The Chapter has directed its efforts toward providing assistance and support to veterans of all wars and their families, war widows and war orphans. The Chapter has also participated in numerous community projects such as Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets for the elderly, Toys For Tots(c), hurricane relief efforts, Christmas ditty bags for hospitalized veterans at the Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and Tuscumbia VA Medical Centers, just to name a few. Numerous Chapter members have participated in "Living History" programs by speaking to area schools on their experiences in the Vietnam War and military services and the significance of the United States involvement in Southeast Asia. |
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The Chapter built a wooden "Alabama Wall" (with 1207 hand lettered names) for the 1991 Veterans Day parade which was displayed on a flatbed truck. At the end of the parade, so many people requested that the Chapter bring the "Alabama Wall" to their community that the wooden Wall was converted to breakdown for transport and re-setup. |
The old "Alabama Wall" |
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Dedication of the Alabama Vietnam Moving Memorial 1992
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After a over a year of carrying the Alabama Wall to various churches, schools, and veteran's organizations around the state, Chapter members decided to build a more permanent structure. After much deliberation, planing and numerous "its not possible" comments from various engineers, Chapter 416 embarked on building the Alabama Vietnam Moving Memorial. After much work from the Chapter members, assistance from numerous sponsors that donated time, effort and technical expertise, and the efforts of the engravers, the Alabama Vietnam Moving Memorial was completed in October 1992 and dedicated just in time for Veteran's Day 1992.
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The primary focus of Chapter 416 has been to continue to serve veterans and their families and to bring the memorial to the people of Alabama. |
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