Cupertino brings Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall to town for Veterans Day
While other San Francisco Bay Area communities commemorated Veterans Day with patriotic music and speeches, the city of Cupertino had a more somber, but perhaps more meaningful, experience with the display of a scale model of the Vietnam War Memorial Wall.
On display was a replica scaled to 80% of Washington, D.C.'s Vietnam War Memorial Wall, a powerful symbol of the hard-earned, painful lessons learned in that conflict.
"We learned that military power and national will are finite resources, never to be expended lightly," keynote speaker Maj. General Stephen Hager told the crowd. "Our technological superiority is meaningless without the trust of the American public."
As a nation, America lost its innocence in Vietnam, and the struggle to end the war divided the country. So, the wall, with its 58,000 names, stands as a dark reminder of what happened when those who served got caught in the middle.
Before he passed in 2025, Judy Hillman's husband couldn't bring himself to visit the memorial when they visited the nation's capital.
"Although he didn't serve in-country, still, the memories of all who were lost ... he couldn't go up to the wall and look," she said. "Oh heavens, you have to remember back how badly the Vietnam-era veterans were treated when they came home."
Ronald Amezquita was there in 1969. He never experienced the abuse that many got when they returned, but he said everyone who served was hurt by it. That's why, for many Vietnam vets, the wall is a much more meaningful tribute on Veterans Day than hearing a brass band play.
"You don't realize how many people died over there until you start seeing the statistics," Amezquita said, looking out at the vast black wall of names. "I had five friends that died over there," he said, his voice cracking, "and I think that this wall really brings out the emotion in people."
Donna Axelson's son, Matthew, was killed in Afghanistan, and she was honored to be asked to place flowers at the Memorial Park Vietnam Veteran statue, near where the Wall was on display.
"So, it's meaningful to us because Matthew's death was the impetus for this, but it's more meaningful to veterans. And when you see the people who come here who served, or whose family served, they're moved. They remember," Donna said, fighting back tears. "It's just ... it's a wonderful place."
Hager, now retired, said the Vietnam experience taught military leaders, and the nation itself, about the sacred obligation that is owed to those who put their lives on the line for their country.
"It's a difficult thing, but the nation is learning, and it will go on making changes," he said. "And the important thing is that people get a vote, and sometimes, that's a delayed impact, right? But again, without being political, I think it's important that Main Street America is part of those decisions going forward."
On Veterans Day, the Vietnam Memorial Wall stands as a sober reminder that appreciating the sacrifice requires more from the public than just thanking someone for their service.
The wall will remain at Cupertino's Memorial Park until Saturday at noon. Then, it will be disassembled and moved to the next city on the cross-country tour.