Photos of Vietnam heroes needed for The Wall in Washington, D.C.

Washington, DC - The people of the state of Minnesota suffered among the

greatest number of losses in the Vietnam War, sacrificing 1,075

service-men and women in combat.

The Vietnam Memorial Fund's (VVMF)

mission to honor these heroes continues with the National Call for

Photos, a movement to collect photos of the more than 58,000

service-members inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) in

Washington, DC. When collected, all photos will be displayed for

generations to come at The Education Center at The Wall, a place on our

National Mall where our military heroes' stories and sacrifice will

never be forgotten.

With the support of schools, volunteers, friends, and family from around

the country, VVMF has collected more than 25,000 pictures to date, but

only 376 from the state of Minnesota.

The task is far from complete. Generous support from volunteers, fellow

service-members, family, and friends is still needed in order to gather

the remaining 699 photos necessary to honor our heroes from Minnesota

for display at The Education Center.

With a groundbreaking planned for November 2012, The Education Center at

The Wall is a multi-million dollar, state-of- the-art visitor's center

and learning facility to be built on the grounds of the Vietnam Veterans

and the Lincoln Memorials. Visitors will better understand the profound

impact the Vietnam War had their friends and family members, their home

towns, and the Nation. The Education Center will feature the faces and

stories of the 58,272 men and women on "The Wall," honoring those who

fell in Vietnam, those who fought and returned, as well as the friends

and families of all who served. For more information, visit

www.buildthecenter.org.

"Minnesota suffered some of the highest casualty rates of any state in

the Vietnam War," said Jan C. Scruggs, Founder and President of the

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF). "The Education Center at The

Wall will allow Americans to put faces with the names of brave men and

women who lost their lives, fostering their appreciation and respect for

generations to come."

VVMF urges the citizens of Minnesota to assist the National Call for

Photos by submitting photographs of fallen service-members and

generously supporting the Education Center, ensuring that the sacrifices

of our military heroes are never forgotten.

About the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

Established in 1979, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (www.vvmf.org)

is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

in Washington, D.C., promoting healing and educating about the impact of

the Vietnam War.

Authorized by Congress, its most recent initiative is building the

Education Center at The Wall, an underground facility near the Memorial

that will help visitors discover the stories of those named on The Wall

and celebrate the values embodied by all service members who served in

all of America's wars.

Other Memorial Fund initiatives include educational programs for

students and teachers, as well as a traveling Wall replica that honors

our nation's veterans.

Support the Education Center at The Wall by visiting

www.buildthecenter.org, calling 866-990-WALL, or by texting "WALL" to

2022.

Tags: minnesota news, news, updates, vietnam, veterans