Names.

That’s what The Moving Wall is all about – the names of the 58,228 men and women who died in Vietnam, and reading all the names out loud takes about 72 hours.

From Oct. 29 through Nov. 2, The Moving Wall, a half-sized replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. will be in nearby Barnwell, S.C. at the Veterans Memorial Park on Highway 278.

“Vietnam veterans never forget,” said Ed Knight of the Vietnam Veterans of America Salkahatchie Chapter 828 in Barnwell, which will help bring the wall to the area.

The opening ceremony will be from 9 a.m. to noon, Oct. 29. There will be a balloon launch and missing man ceremony at 5 p.m., Oct. 31. The wall’s closing program will be at noon Nov. 2.

The Moving Wall is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. It began its travels in October 1984 after several Vietnam veterans got together to build it. Because there were so many requests, a second wall has been added. They have visited hundreds of cities across the nation.

Another chapter member Allen Hawkes knows several of the names listed on the wall.

Hawkes will never forget a strike in August 1969 when he served as part of the 1st Cavalry.

“Twenty-four died that night; three were listed as missing in action,” said Hawkes.