Downtown VFW Raising Money To Bring Traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial To Tulsa

Tulsa's VFW Post 577 is raising money to help bring the traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial to town.

Retired service members need to raise almost $10,000. They are hoping the Tulsa community will help them do something good.

The plan is to have the wall at Veterans Park, off 6th and Peoria. They say the wall needs to be staffed 24-7 while it is here, so the VFW isn't just fundraising but trying to find volunteers. 

"I served in the United States Army from 1962-1983," said Vic St. Clair with VFW 577. "My buddies kept telling me, 'go to the wall, go to the wall, you will get closure there.’"

St. Clair went to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in DC in the 1980s.

"So, I am sitting there, I just looked at the wall and contemplating everything and suddenly I am back. I hear everything. I see everything," said St. Clair. 

St. Clair went to see the traveling version when it was Claremore and plans to see it again when it comes to Tulsa in November.

"It will be in the parking lot off of 6th," said VFW 577 Commander Dan Fuller. 

St. Clair is hoping the wall brings healing for Tulsa Veterans still struggling. 

"We weren't welcome home. Being reminded of the whole season and the season that our country is in now, it stirs up a lot of emotion," said St. Clair. "I hope and pray that bringing the wall here, Vietnam Veterans will get some peace and some closure."

It is going to take a community effort to make this happen, and not just financially. The wall must be fully staffed 24/7 for the days it is here, so volunteers are needed as well.

"Probably over $10,000 for the arranging of transportation, the housing of the people who bring it down, and all of the logistics as far as lumber and run it for the amount of time it is here," said Fuller. 

There is also a need for lumber. A stand must be built to hold the wall up and tents are needed to shield the wall from the elements.

"The general public needs to be reminded what this country is about and the men and women who died to keep it here," said St. Clair. 

To donate, click here. 

The wall will be at Veterans park at 6th and Peoria November 4th-7th.