Hundreds of people filled the Palmerton borough park Thursday night for an emotional opening ceremony in front of The Moving Wall.

Attendees reflected on the sacrifices the soldiers made for our freedom.Following a ceremonial laying of wreaths, Master of Ceremony George Duell introduced Palmerton Mayor Christopher Olivia, who spoke about his experience as a soldier in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War in 1967. He told the story of how the enemy was encroached in a valley. By the end of the day, 110 of his fellow Marines were wounded and 26 men were killed.One was his best friend. The pain of that loss nearly 50 years ago was as evident in his voice as if it had just happened, a wound that time doesn't seem to heal.Olivia said in closing, "As it is written on our wall in Palmerton, 'Some gave all, all gave some. This wall is dedicated to those who gave all to keep our country free."State Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon, told the crowd 3,147 soldiers from Pennsylvania lost their lives during the Vietnam War. He said our goal should be to teach those who were not born yet about the war."Let us today vow to never turn our backs on our veterans," he said.Wayne Nothstein, the chairman of the Carbon County Commissioners, said he was moved to see veterans who had come to see the names of fellow soldiers on their knees praying for them.The solemnity and respect shown by the huge crowd for those who had died and the desire of the people to come out for the ceremony was evidence that "this is the welcome home that our veterans from Vietnam needed to see," Nothstein said.Fellow Carbon County Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard pointed out to the crowd that 3 million men served during the Vietnam War. Of that number, two-thirds of the soldiers volunteered for service. Of those who were killed, 77 percent had volunteered to serve.Henry Desrosiers, Carbon County Director of Veterans Affairs, said the people listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial "embody the stirring sense of loss. They signify the dreams unfulfilled and the great what if."He concluded quoting G.K. Chesterton, who said, "A true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him."As speakers recounted experiences from Vietnam, veterans in the audience were moved to tears. Throughout the crowd veterans reached out to each to comfort each other.As people moved through the viewing of the wall, the mood was solemn. People paused and wiped away tears as they stood in front of names of their loved ones.The Moving Wall, which arrived Thursday morning, is on display 24 hours a day throughout the weekend. Vietnam War veterans and members of the Palmerton Area High School football team assisted to assemble the wall.On Monday, it will be disassembled at noon to leave for its next town.During the weekend people are invited to come to the Palmerton borough park and read the names of the 58,000 soldiers who gave their lives in Vietnam. There is no schedule. Three tents are set up where people can sit down and recite the names, checking off columns as they are read.The Vietnam Veterans of Carbon County will hold a ceremony at 6 tonight in front of the wall.The Moving Wall event was planned by the United Veterans Organization of Palmerton and sponsored by veterans' organizations in Carbon County, as well as donations from area businesses and residents. The wall is owned by Vietnam Combat Veterans Ltd.Residents and veterans welcomed the half-sized replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Thursday morning.