Visit ‘The Wall’ Honoring Vietnam Vets

It’s easy to come up with all the negatives that Second Life presents, but on the positive side is this faithful rendering of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall on the Mall in Washington, D.C. You can view all the names on the wall, search for someone you know, and view replicas of the Three Servicemen statute and the statute of the Army nurses tending to the wounded. Also, you can leave a memorial item at the wall — click on the directory posted at each side of the wall, type in the name, speak the accompanying number out loud, and a blue dialogue box offers to TP you to the spot, gives you a choice of items to leave, or allows you to set a marker.

Whatever your feelings on the War in Vietnam and current American foreign policy (zipping my own lips here), this is a must-go destination and one that helps fulfill the promise of Second Life. William H. Goodspeed (East Wall, Panel 31, Row 58) now has a flag commemorating his service.

Be sure to click the video at the opening of the exhibit to hear names being read over a soundtrack of 60s protest music. My SL partner Jarod (in RL the son of a medic who served four tours in Nam) and I both found it moving beyond words. So far, it even seems to be griefer-free, which is a good thing. See the companion Web site, too; click here.

The Wall was built by Meme Science, founded by SL resident Corwin Chevalier (Wayne Porter in RL).

Pics from left: The Women’s Statue; the marker showing where your name is located; the flag I left for Willam H. Goodspeed, and the flag Jarod left for a soldier bearing his father’s name, John D. Evans: