CHEHALIS — Most people know at least one man or woman who served in the military during the Vietnam War. Most of those veterans know some who never made it home.

From July 31 to Aug. 3, the public can honor those men and women who gave their lives in service to their country when the American Veterans Traveling Tribute erects its scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall outside the Veterans Memorial Museum in Chehalis.

The 370-foot long wall is an 80-percent scale replica of the memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. In conjunction with the visit, Vietnam War veterans — and others who lost loved ones there — will share their recollections during scheduled events through Aug. 3.

More than 10,000 people visited that last time the black traveling wall bearing the names of more than 58,000 men and women lost during the Vietnam War stopped in Chehalis in 2007.

Volunteers with computers will help visitors identify which panel bears the name of a lost friend or family member, and uniformed escorts will help them find the panel. Chaplains will be on duty during the event to comfort, console, and counsel those who need it.

The traveling wall will be escorted into town July 30 by motorcyclists from the Patriot Guard of Washington, Lewis County ABATE, American Legion Riders, and law enforcement agencies. The following day, July 31, during a program beginning at 6 p.m., representatives from local organizations will lay wreaths at the wall.

The 6 p.m. opening ceremonies on Aug. 1, will feature retired Air Force Lt. Col. Travis Wofford, a rescue helicopter pilot awarded the Air Force Cross Citation “for heroism in military operations” in Vietnam.

On April 15, 1970, near Dak Nay Puey, then-Major Wofford was wounded during attempts to rescue the crew of an Army helicopter shot down by enemy ground fire, but he returned a third time. Heavy weapons gunfire severely damaged his aircraft and it plunged to the ground, but he freed himself from the wreckage and tried to rescue the pilot, who was killed on impact. He rushed to help other crew members engulfed in flames, extinguishing the blaze and dragging the men to safety.

His Air Force Cross Citation reads, “Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of an opposing armed force, Major Wofford reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”

On Aug. 2 at 11 a.m., during the Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day, the speaker will be retired Army Special Forces Major John Plaster, author of six books, including “SOG: The Secret Wars of America’s Commandos in Vietnam.”

Plaster, who served three tours in Vietnam, is credited with 22 missions deep behind enemy lines along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos and Cambodia, including a night ambush of a North Vietnamese truck convoy and capture of an important enemy prisoner. He was wounded once and decorated four times for heroism. The Green Beret soldier has been inducted into the USAF Air Commando Association’s Hall of Fame and the U.S. Army Special Forces Hall of Fame.

As part of the POW/MIA program, New York Times-bestselling mystery author J.A. Jance may speak that evening about the losses experienced by family and friends of veterans who never came home. One of her Bisbee, Ariz., classmates, Leonard Douglas Davis, was killed in Vietnam 48 years ago, on Aug. 2, 1966. Her friendship with Davis and later his fiancée, Bonnie Abney, prompted her to feature their story in her latest book, “Second Watch.”

On Aug. 3 at 9:30 a.m., retired Army Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Stan Baker will conduct a nondenominational general Protestant service reminiscent of those held in the field during the Vietnam War.

Closing ceremonies will take place at 1 p.m. Aug. 3, with retired Army Col. Ron H. Averill as speaker. Averill, a former Lewis County commissioner and instructor at South Puget Sound Community College, served as a Southeast Asia specialist at the Pacific Command when American troops evacuated Vietnam, and advised commanders during tense moments along the Korean demilitarized zone. He served as commander of the Intelligence Center of the Pacific in Honolulu before retiring from his command position in 1989.

Also on display will be a restored Huey helicopter from the Olympia Museum of Flight.