PENN YAN, N.Y. — The Wall that Heals, a traveling tribute to service members who died in Vietnam, has arrived in Penn Yann in Yates County.  

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund unveiled the wall in 1996 and it has since been displayed at nearly 700 communities across the U.S. News10NBC spoke live with the committee co-chairs of the Wall that Heals about what it means to them.

Committee co-chair Win Harper, a Vietnam veteran, said the wall honors people who made the ultimate sacrifice and helps people to heal from a turbulent time in history.

“When you look at the granite, you can see the names but you all see your own reflection,” he said. “I think it’s an excellent opportunity for people to look at the wall, see their own reflection and spend time, think about that turbulent time of our history and how we can heal by listening to each other.”

The wall is a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. Doug Gibbs, a committee co-chair and a Vietnam veteran, said the wall offers veterans and their families a chance to reflect if they’re not able to travel to D.C.

“We have a lot of Vietnam veterans in the county and very many of them are still carrying baggage and things from Vietnam that they haven’t been able to shake,” he said. “Hopefully, they’ll be in their hometown and it’ll be a safe place and they can come out and see.”

Penn Yan is the only place in New York State where the Wall that Heals will appear this year. Over 100 volunteers helped to put the wall together including from schools, veterans organizations, and Keuka College helped with the wall.

Herb Snyder, a committee member and Vietnam Veteran, said the wall offers a quiet place to veterans to heal and share their stories.

“There’s 58,261 names on this wall. They’re all real people and they never came home and they never had their story to tell,” he said. “And I think it’s important that with the educational trailer, they see the impact that it had and give them a chance to reflect.”

People can see the wall starting on Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Firemen’s Field in Penn Yan, which is at the end of Mace Street. It’s open 24/7 until Sunday at 1:45 p.m.