NAHANT — Residents are going to witness something special next week.
The “Wall That Heals,” a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. will be making its way to Nahant beginning on July 13. When the wall is assembled, it will stand 7.5 feet tall and stretch out 375 feet in length.
Formal events surrounding the wall will begin on July 15-18, but the wall will make its way to the town on July 13. A 200-300 motorcycle “crew,” who refer to themselves as the “Rolling Thunder,” will be escorting the wall to Nahant starting at Suffolk Downs.
Also on the channel side of the Nahant causeway will be vessels belonging to both the Coast Guard and Boston Fire Department to accompany the wall on its way to town. The boats will be spraying water in the air as the wall makes its way through the causeway.
Jon Lazar, veterans services officer for the town of Nahant, described bringing the wall to Nahant as a great thing. He also mentioned that hopefully it will be a good step for some veterans to find some reconciliation, to some degree, with their time at war.
“We’re bringing the wall to help bring some closure hopefully to some of those memories,” Lazar said. “This wall is a time for us to memorialize those 58,000-plus people.”
Lazar also mentioned that two names from Nahant will be on the wall — one of them he was actually friends with.
Lance Corporal Richard Robert Davis was killed in action in July of 1967. Lazar went to school with and played football with Davis at Lynn Classical High School; Davis graduated from the school in 1965. Lazar mentioned that, back then, Nahant kids had a choice of going to Lynn Classical.
Lazar also wanted to recognize that cities and towns all across the North Shore had young men who gave their lives for their country. He mentioned that surrounding localities and services offices are invited to pay respects at the wall.
It’s not every day that you get to witness a piece of history — especially of this size — so Nahant residents should take advantage of this unique opportunity.
