Vietnam Wall replica coming to Charlotte County

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.- A Vietnam Veterans Memorial that honors millions of Americans is coming to Charlotte County.

The Southwest Florida Vietnam Memorial Committee received a $150,000 grant from the state of Florida. The Vietnam wall replica will be the only one of its kind locally.

The “Wall that Heals,” holds a special place in many veterans’ hearts.

Thanks to the state grant, veterans will be able to honor those who served our country at Laishley Park. Crews plan to break ground on the replica wall in July.

“It will mean an awful lot to me because I have an awful amount of friends who are on the wall,” said Richard Carr, chairman of the committee.

The wall will be half the size of the one Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. The granite wall will have 58,304 names engraved.

“It’s to honor them. I spent almost four years there, you can imagine, very emotional to me,” said Bill Akins, director of fundraising for the committee.

The committee hopes to have the Vietnam replica wall ready to dedicate by the upcoming Veterans Day.