September 2, 2025 — In a powerful demonstration of community patriotism and remembrance, The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, is scheduled to visit Clovis from October 9-12, 2025. The exhibit, which also includes a mobile education center, will be located at David McDonald Park and will be open 24 hours a day for public viewing and reflection.
The visit is a collaborative effort by the Clovis Veterans Memorial District (CVMD), Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 933, Clovis Elks Lodge 2599, and the Fresno City and County Historical Society. Speakers at a recent press conference, including Lorenzo Rios, CEO of the CVMD, highlighted the event’s core mission: to honor, educate, and inspire.
A Community United by Memory
For many Vietnam veterans, this event is more than a memorial; it’s a long-overdue welcome home. “You can hate the war, but never forget to honor and thank our warriors,” said Rios, emphasizing the community’s role in providing the closure many veterans never received. He noted that the names on the wall represent “our neighbors, sons and daughters, classmates and teammates, brothers and sisters in arms.”
The Wall’s visit also serves a somber educational purpose. The Central Valley lost 409 service members in the Vietnam War, including 145 from Fresno County. The event will not only honor these fallen but also bring to light the ongoing struggles of veterans who returned home. A key focus will be on the devastating effects of Agent Orange, a toxic herbicide that has caused countless post-war deaths.
Beyond the Battlefield: A Hmong Community Honored
A significant aspect of this memorial event is its special recognition of the local Hmong community. During the war, Hmong soldiers fought alongside American forces in the “Secret War” in Laos, playing a crucial role in saving American lives. One speaker highlighted that for every American veteran saved, approximately eight Hmong lives were lost.
To honor their bravery and sacrifices, the CVMD and its partners will host a separate Hmong veterans celebration ceremony on October 21st at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District. This event aims to educate the broader community about the Hmong’s contributions and their enduring place in the American story, particularly in the Central Valley, which has a large Hmong population.
As Clovis Mayor Vong Mouanoutoua, a member of the Hmong community, passionately stated, the event is a chance for the community to “see the names and not numbers, stories, not statistics.” It’s an opportunity for everyone, including students, to understand that “freedom isn’t free” and to witness the sacrifice and patriotism that define the community.
A Space for Healing, Not Celebration
Unlike a typical festival, the event’s organizers are creating a respectful, somber environment. There will be no concerts or food vendors. The primary focus is on the Wall itself and the healing it can provide. Visitors can explore the mobile education center, which will have displays on the Vietnam War and the Wall’s history. A quiet program of ceremonies, including a daily Taps at dusk, will punctuate the four-day event.
This intentional focus underscores the event’s purpose: to provide a space for quiet reflection and emotional healing for veterans, their families, and the community. As one veteran, who had previously been too emotional to visit the original memorial in D.C., explained, the Wall’s arrival in Clovis provides a local opportunity for that healing process to finally begin.