Traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica comes to Martinsville

MARTINSVILLE — The last American troops pulled out of Vietnam 50-years-ago, but the pain of war still haunts some Vietnam veterans. They can now mourn the 58,281 Americans killed in the Vietnam War without having to travel to Washington, D.C.

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A traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, an exhibition entitled The Wall That Heals, opened at the Morgan County Fairgrounds in Martinsvile on Thursday. The memorial will be open 24 hours a day until the exhibition closes Sunday afternoon.

"If it gives one veteran closure or one school kid a better idea of Vietnam, then it's been worth it," said Ellen Wilson-Pruitt, of The Wall That Heals.

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Vietnam veterans Steve Passwater and Constantine Tijunin drove from Noblesville to pay their respects at the memorial. The two were classmates at Noblesville High School and were both drafted into the Army in 1968.

"I don't think you can prepare yourself for something like that," Tijunin said. "I do remember opening the letter and thinking to myself, 'Oh my goodness, I've got to tell my dad, and he's not going to be real happy.'"

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"You flew into Vietnam...everybody has the same story," Passwater said. "When the door of the aircraft opened, the heat and humidity came in and it was a rude awakening."

Passwater and Tijunin searched the wall for three Noblesville High classmates who were killed serving in Vietnam: Jim Grant, Michael Lawhon, and Steve Clark.

"I get emotional thinking about it," Tijunin said. "I'm just thankful our names aren't on that wall."

Tijunin hopes every Vietnam veteran in Indiana comes to the wall to find peace after the war.

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"When we came home, we didn't talk about Vietnam. Nobody asked us how things were other than the family," Tijunin. "Now with the wall, you walk out here and people will say thank you for your service."