VAN BUREN (KFSM) -- The Wall That Heals, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. is traveling around the country and has made a stop in the River Valley.
"The trailer houses a 250 foot wall that's an exact replica of the wall that is in Washington, D.C.," James Reed, President and CEO of USA Truck said. "Panel by panel, it has names of men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice. It means a lot for that wall to be here."
Trucking companies around the country are participating in the tour and transporting the memorial for free.
The driver of the next leg of the trip is USA Truck employee Mark Buckley. A Navy veteran himself, Buckley said he's honored to sit behind the wheel of the traveling memorial.
"It's an honor," Buckley said. "These veterans especially, they were throw-away, forgotten veterans that sacrificed their lives for our country and freedom and others. It's an honor to do this."
The truck also features an education center, offering a firsthand look at what you'd see at the nation's capitol.
"It's a great service that is offered that brings the memorial to the people who really deserve the opportunity to grieve, to recognize what happened, and for the rest of us to honor that," Reed said.
As the memorial heads to it's next stop in Bridge Port, Connecticut, Buckley expects the truck to continue to turn heads.
"The two days I came from Norfolk to here, there were constant waves, honks, salutes, thumps up," Buckley said. "Whenever I stop, people want to talk and ask about it and where it's going. There's a lot of interest in it."
For more information about The Wall That Heals and for a schedule of the truck's stops, visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund website.