{"id":227945,"date":"2026-01-07T14:09:37","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T00:09:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=227945"},"modified":"2026-01-07T15:47:33","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T01:47:33","slug":"vietnam-memorial-west-oahu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/01\/07\/vietnam-memorial-west-oahu\/","title":{"rendered":"Vietnam Memorial replica to visit UH<\/abbr> West O\u2018ahu"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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The Wall That Heals exhibit in 2024 in Hilo. (Image courtesy of www.vvmf.org)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The mobile exhibit, The Wall That Heals<\/a>, which features a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., is coming to Oʻahu<\/span>. It will be on display January 14–19 at the Great Lawn of the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>–West Oʻahu<\/span> in Kapolei. The exhibit, which also includes a mobile Education Center, honors the more than 3 million Americans who served and bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War. The exhibit will be open 24 hours a day until it is dismantled on January 19.<\/p>\n

“After 30 years displaying in communities throughout the United States, few communities have worked as hard as Kapolei to host The Wall That Heals,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO<\/abbr> of Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF<\/abbr>), the nonprofit that founded The Wall. “Our events in Hilo and Maui were incredible, and we\u2019re excited to bring the exhibit to Oʻahu<\/span>.”<\/p>\n

Community impact<\/h2>\n

Local efforts were championed by Vietnam veteran Eddie Freeman, co-chair of The Wall That Heals \u2013 Oʻahu<\/span>. He noted that his past experience on other islands “deepened my resolve to bring this powerful memorial to Oʻahu<\/span>. The selection of Kapolei, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>, by VVMF<\/abbr> stands as one of the most significant events for the community in 2026.”<\/p>\n

A related showing of “Ah Quon McElrath: The Struggle Never Ends” will be held 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on January 16, at the ʻUluʻulu<\/span> film screening room in the James & Abigail Campbell Library. Presented by the Center for Labor Education and Research, the event will include comments from filmmakers Chris Conybeare and Joy Chong-Stannard on the film’s connection to the Vietnam War and today, along with a historical exhibit.<\/p>\n

For more visit Ka Puna O Kaloʻi<\/span><\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A powerful tribute to those who served in the Vietnam War is coming to Kapolei.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":227943,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[921,225,1459,59],"class_list":["post-227945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-center-for-labor-education-and-research","tag-history","tag-ka-puna-o-kaloi","tag-uh-west-oahu","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t