---

NORTH ATTLEBORO - Lines etched by the Vietnam Moving Wall in the grass at North Attleboro High School 10 years ago have long since faded, but the memories left behind have lasted much longer.

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Moving Wall's first trip to North Attleboro, when the 258-foot granite replica of the original in Washington stood on the high school's athletic field from Aug. 12 to 18, 1999.

The first event, which attracted thousands of visitors, was so successful that the Moving Wall made a rare return trip to a community in 2005.

Some of the 22 veterans who worked to bring the wall to North Attleboro for the first time, gathered at a commemorative stone at the high school last week to share their memories of the event.

"It was a magical week," said Joe Clougherty, of the Greater Attleboro Area Vietnam Veterans. "When Roger (Fleming) and I first wrote the letter to ask for it, we didn't even know if it would come here. "We never dreamed that it was going to turn into the big joint effort. Overall, it was an experience in the history of the town the likes of which we haven't seen since."

Thousands of people came to the high school to see the Vietnam Moving Wall first hand. The memorial lists the the names of more than 58,000 U.S. military personnel killed in Vietnam, including four men from North Attleboro: Robert Gillespie, Richard Pinsonnault, Paul Robitaille and Albert St. Lawrence.

"One person came because she never got a chance to go to Mr. Gillespie's wake and this was her chance to say goodbye. Another man came all the way from Maine to see it," Clougherty said.

John Devitt, of Vietnam Combat Veterans Ltd., created the wall in 1984 to allow those who could not travel to Washington, D.C., to see the original monument.

"A lot of people can't go to Washington to see it, so we really wanted to bring it here. That's why we're trying to bring it to Wrentham now," Fleming said. "What I remember most was the weather. There just was a single cloud over the wall."

Santa Claus Almeida said what he remembers most is the crowds of visitors who came to honor the men and woman who served in Vietnam.

"It was great. Day and night there were people coming from all over the place, who had never been to Washington," he said. "The best part was that it honored all the men who were in Vietnam."

Dave Seale, a Vietnam veteran and another member of the committee, said the ceremonies were beautiful.

"We had a heck of a time," Seale said. "It was an awesome feeling when you came to the wall and saw all the people it was helping. It just tore you apart watching it leave."

Meanwhile, Fred Holmes, a Korean War veteran, said he will always remember the way local veterans came together to bring the wall to town. "What I remember most was the group of guys coming together to put the whole thing together. It was kind of emotional," he said.

Clougherty agreed, saying the memorable experience would not have been possible without assistance from the town - with everyone from North Attleboro Electric to the school department to the police and fire departments, offering help.