Stockton Honors Vietnam Veterans with 'The Moving Wall'

The Moving Wall Arrives in Stockton

The Moving Wall, a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, made its way to Stockton for a special opening ceremony. This 253-foot-long half-size replica features more than 58,000 names of U.S. service members who lost their lives during the Vietnam War. The event took place at the Weber Point Events Center on Thursday, May 14, and was open to the public.

During the opening ceremony, Vietnam veteran Joseph Maes performed a Native American blessing, while Terry Hansen played a wooden flute. Linda Vasquez, the event chair of the United Veterans Council, highlighted that this was the fifth time The Moving Wall had visited Stockton.

"The Moving Wall not only honors those who died, but also those who are still listed as Missing in Action, reminding us that for some families, the war never truly ended," Vasquez said. "1,566 servicemen remained missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. Of those still missing, 160 are from California, and 79 from Northern California."

Vasquez also mentioned that eight women are listed on the wall, along with 43 sets of brothers and father-son pairs. She noted that the average age of those listed is 23 years. The youngest person on the wall is Dan Bollock, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps at just 14 years old.

A Reminder of Sacrifice and Loss

The Wall is composed of 74 panels, with names listed by date of casualty rather than alphabetically. Vasquez encouraged young people to visit the Wall and understand the sacrifices made by those who served.

"We encourage young people to come out and realize that these were young men and women that were sent to war," she said. "Most of them were drafted and they didn't have that choice of serving, but they did. They went and so just as a reminder that sacrifices were made and we enjoy our freedom because of their sacrifices."

The Wall will remain open 24 hours a day through 2 p.m. on Monday. On Saturday at 10 a.m., there will be a Fallen Heroes Ceremony, and a closing ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. on Monday.

Stockton has a long history of military service, and many Vietnam veterans live in San Joaquin County. Vasquez emphasized that bringing the Wall to Stockton allows veterans and their families to experience it close to home.

There are about 150 names from San Joaquin County in the Grave Dunn Memorial, with approximately 70 from the city of Stockton. Vasquez, who is the daughter of a Navy veteran, noted that the last time The Wall was in the city was in 2019.

"It's an opportunity to come out and visit the wall to find names of loved ones or just strangers and learn a little bit about their stories," she said. "They're real people, young people for the most part."

Personal Stories from Veterans

Albert Baker, known as "Al," was the oldest Vietnam veteran present at the opening ceremony. At 82 years old, he had the honor of cutting the ribbon. Baker served in Vietnam twice as a Naval Seabees, working on construction projects such as airfields and runways.

"It was challenging because the Seabees, we did all construction and built everything," he said. "We're with the Marines for the first year, and we built the airfields ... and runways, everything."

Baker shared that seeing the Wall brought back painful memories. He expressed gratitude for surviving his two tours and for the support of his fellow veterans.

Tino Adame, now 79, served as a Marine in the 29th, Third Marine Division when he was just 19 years old. He described the importance of having the Wall in Stockton for veterans who remember the names of those who served.

"There's not that many Vietnam vets," he said. "We are going fast." Adame also highlighted the lack of recognition that Vietnam veterans received upon returning home compared to other veterans.

Gwyndell Holloway, an Army Vietnam veteran, served in 1967 and 1968 during the first Tet Offensive. He volunteered to go to Vietnam, but soon realized the harsh reality of war.

"I remember everything because there was a horror over there," he said. "Once I got over there, I figured out, 'oh man, what a mistake I made.' Then I had to fight to survive, survive the war and I almost didn't."

Holloway urged the community to support Vietnam veterans and recognize the sacrifices made by those who paid the ultimate price.

Vasquez reiterated the main message of The Moving Wall: to honor and welcome home Vietnam veterans. "They did not get the welcome that our other people from other wars, they were spit on. They were told not to wear their uniforms on the airplane as they were coming home. We encourage them to come and appreciate what they went through and the sacrifices that they made."

The reading of the names on the Wall is available from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. For more information, visit themovingwall.org.