By Informer Staff

The people of Kansas suffered deeply in the Vietnam War, sacrificing 626 service-men and women in combat. 

The Vietnam Memorial Fund’s 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 the 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 246 from the state of Kansas. 

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 380 photos necessary to honor our heroes from Kansas for display at the Education Center. 

With a groundbreaking planned for November, 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 on 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.

“Kansas suffered greatly in the Vietnam War,” said Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. “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 Kansas 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.