It has often been discussed how the idea to bring The Moving Wall, a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, to Palmerton was on local veteran Steve Vlossak’s bucket list.

Sunday night, during the wall’s last full day in the borough park, Vlossak imagined just for a second what would be on the bucket list of the more than 58,000 veterans who lost their lives in Vietnam.“I can’t say exactly,” he told a large crowd at a closing ceremony, “but I think it would go something like this. Take us to a place of peace. Take us to a place with green grass, running streams and mountains.“Take us to a town that is small, yet full of life and full of good and kind people. Take us where our brother veterans can see us, talk to us and pray for us. Take us where we can visit our families, shed some tears, but also smiles of our joyful memories.“Take us where we are treated with honor and respect. Take us to a place where we will never be forgotten. Take us to Palmerton.”The wall has been in Palmerton since Thursday and has drawn thousands of visitors.It will be disassembled this afternoon in preparation for it to head to its next stop in Tennessee.For Vlossak, who fought in Vietnam and still deals with lingering health issues related to Agent Orange, the response from the local community was difficult to put into words.“It’s overwhelming,” he said. “Tonight as I saluted the flag, I looked back at the wall and I didn’t see names, I saw rows and rows of people there. This has been a special tribute to our brothers and sisters. Thanks to a lot of great people in this town and on our committee, my dream became a reality.”Sunday’s event also featured a three-volley rifle salute and the playing of taps.The Holiday Homecoming Chorus performed “Mansions of the Lord.”Later in the evening, the Palmerton Community Band performed patriotic musical selections.Through fundraisers and other donations, more than $20,000 was raised to support the wall coming to Palmerton.“None of this would have been possible without the tremendous support we received,” said retired Col. George Duell Jr., a member of the Palmerton United Veterans Organization. “The Palmerton area community and the greater Carbon County region have clearly shown their support for our veterans and those serving today.”Videos from Sunday’s ceremony can be viewed on the Times News Facebook page.