A replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was set up at North Hempstead Beach Park in Port Washington.

The Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall is a half-size replica of the monument in Washington, D.C. and bears the names of the 58,228 Americans who died during the Vietnam War.

Sixty-six residents of the Town of North Hempstead were casualties in the war.

Among the fallen was New Hyde Park resident Nick Acosta’s brother-in-law Tony Rios, who was only 18 when he was killed in action.

“They made a big sacrifice, big sacrifice and back then they were all patriots,” Acosta says.

The Moving Wall was founded in 1984 by an Army veteran who wanted to give people unable to travel to the country’s capital a chance to experience the memorial.

For local veterans like Franklin Square resident Peter Busch, it’s an opportunity to pay respects to those who never came home.

“It triggers a few memories, some are good, some are not so good, but just to be here around these guys, it’s a feeling of camaraderie,” Busch says. “And I love them all.”

The Moving Wall will be open to the public 24 hours a day from now until Sunday at midnight.

Elmont resident Sal Martella says he was terrified of coming close enough to see the names of 18 fallen comrades that have been haunting him for years.

With the support of fellow veterans, he was able to see the names and pay his respects.

“To honor them, to honor their memory and make sure no one forgets what went on in Vietnam,” Martella says.