Vietnam Wall and New Bern

Sunday, November 13, 2020, 4:00 PM, Cullman Performance Hall, NC History Center

Presented by George Halyak, a long-time member of the English Speaking Union, who was selected as one of the “52 Faces in Craven County,” and received a lifetime Achievement Award from Craven County Veterans Council in 2020.

George was the chairman of “Bring the Wall to New Bern” committee.  A U.S. Navy veteran, George made what he called a “simple phone call” in 2018, then spent two and a half years raising over $50,000.00, forming a 15-member committee, and recruiting over 200 volunteers.  Included in his presentation is a 15-minute video which is the work of the Coastal Photo Club which captured over 1600 images of every aspect of the April, 2021 event and set them to a memorable and moving music score.

Also presenting at this event is Jane Knowles.  Jane is a New Bern native, and veteran U.S. Army Captain and Nurse stationed at the 85^th evacuation hospital in Phu Bai Vietnam in 1969.  She was a keynote speaker at the “Wall that Heals” exhibit which came to New Bern in 2021.  Jane will offer a poignant and touching memoir of the local young New Bern boys who became men as they climbed off the plane which took them to southeast Asia and a war from which many would not return, and for those who did, they would never be the same.

This presentation is FREE and open to the public.