While not as controversial as the Vietnam War, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the Mall honors the 58,000 soldiers who were killed in the war and has its own history of controversy.
Six years after both the end of America’s longest war and the fall of Saigon, Congress authorized a three-acre plot of land near the Lincoln Memorial for the site of a monument dedicated to the soldiers of the Vietnam War. Over 1,400 designs were submitted, as part of a $50,000 competition. A committee of nine judges unanimously selected a design by a 21-year-old architecture student of Asian (Chinese) descent from Yale University, Maya Ying Lin.
The monument consists of two polished, highly reflective black granite walls, each 75 meters long. Built into the side a low embankment, the highest points of the walls (ten feet) are at the point where the two walls join forming a 125-degree angle.
The wall is inscribed with the names of servicemen and women who either died or were classified as missing in action when the monument was erected in 1982. The names are listed in chronological order, starting with the leftmost edge as you are looking at it.
Only the names of the serviceman or woman are etched into the wall, avoiding details regarding the rank, unit, and decorations won. In all, over 58,150 names were initially listed with another 100 or so being added since. Names with a diamond are confirmed dead, and a name with a cross indicates the person is either missing in action (MIA) or was a prisoner of war (POW) and not accounted for to date.
The first two names, Major Dale R. Buis and Master Sergeant Charles Ovnand, while the two were watching a movie, were the first two U.S. soldiers killed in Vietnam. Both were part of the Military Assistance Advisory Group sent to train South Vietnam troops in 1959.
The last group of names represents the final 18 soldiers killed on a rescue mission called the Mayagüez incident almost 16 years later. Khmer Rouge naval forces using captured U.S. Navy “swift boats” seized the American container ship SS Mayagüez and took the American 40-man crew captive. President Ford ordered a military response to retake the ship and rescue the crew. Within days, Marines assaulted and boarded the ship and found none of the crew, as they had been earlier moved off the ship and actually released before the attack. During the operation, 18 soldiers were killed when a helicopter was shot down and during the extraction of the Marines.
Between the first and last are over 58,000 names, each with its own story of honor, service, valor, loss, and tragedy.
Completed in 1993, the wall was opposed by many veteran groups, who believed more traditional columns, statues, and fountains were appropriate. Additionally, Lin’s ethnic background and youth were also at issue. She was 16 when the war ended and had little knowledge of the Vietnam War or its history.
Just a few steps from the Wall is The Three Soldiers, a bronze statue that was part of the compromise design and dedicated a year later. Also close by is the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, another bronze statue depicting two nurses caring for a wounded soldier.
It is common to walk the grounds and see people recalling and grieving lost friends, family members, and comrades in arms.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
National Mall
Between Constitution Ave. and the Reflecting Pool, between 21st and 22nd St., NW.
Washington, DC (map it)
- Dates and Times – Open daily, 24-hours. National Park Rangers are on duty to answer questions from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. daily.
- Tickets – Admission is free.
- Nearest Metro Subway Station – Foggy Bottom – Blue or Yellow line, then a 3/4 mile walk.
- Parking – Metered street parking is available within a couple of blocks of the memorial, but is at time-limited, especially on weekends.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Resources
Vietnam Veterans Memorial – Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_Veterans_Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a 2-acre (8,093.71 m²) U.S. national memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War…
Visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC
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The Vietnam Veterans Memorial pays tribute to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who fought in the Vietnam War. The memorial is open to the public 24 hours a day, with Washington, DC is in a league of its own when it comes to world-class museums, many of which are free to visit. Wander the…
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Vietnam Veterans Memorial (U.S. National Park Service)
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Explore This Park. Vietnam Veterans. Memorial District of Columbia. Honoring the men and women who served in the controversial Vietnam War, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial chronologically lists the names of 58,318 Americans who gave their lives in service to their country.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC
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The Vietnam Veterans Memorial pays tribute to those who served in the Vietnam War and is one of the most visited attractions in Washington DC. The memorial is a black granite wall inscribed with the names of 58,286 American’s killed or missing in the Vietnam conflict.
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Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington D. C. 57,020 likes · 47 talking about this · 253,209 were here. Help build the Education Center at The Wall… See more of Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Facebook.
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In this video it’s basically a tour of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC that includes the Vietnam Women’s Memorial and the Three Servicemen…
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Vietnam veterans memorial design. History of the memorial. If you have the time, we strongly urge you to watch the video above. Traveling Wall – Can’t make it to Washington, DC? There is a traveling wall that is a 3/5 sized replica of the original Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial – New World Encyclopedia
www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Vietnam_Veterans_Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national war memorial in Washington, D.C. honoring members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War and who died in service or are still unaccounted.
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Add Vietnam Veterans Memorial and other attractions to your Washington DC trip itinerary using our Washington DC trip planner. If you go to DC you simply must see the major memorials. There are great tours that will take you to all of them and do the driving for you as well as provide a guide with…
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The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, one of Washington DC’s most visited landmarks, is comprised of three parts—the Three Soldiers statue, the Women’s The free-to-visit Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a stop on the circuit of most DC sightseeing tours, many of which also visit the Lincoln and Jefferson…
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Vietnam Veterans Memorial. monument, Washington, District of Columbia, United States. Vietnam Veterans MemorialThe Three Servicemen, statue by Frederick Hart, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. by zenith—iStock/Thinkstock.
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District of Columbia. Washington, D.C. Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Since 1988, hundreds of thousands of Vietnam War veterans, their families, friends, supporters, and advocates converge into DC calling for the US government’s recognition and protection of American Prisoners of War (POWs)…
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One of the most moving war memorials, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial – or “the Wall,” as it’s commonly referred to – is a long black granite wall with the When you’re wandering along the eastern side of the Mall, venture to the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Paying tribute to the 1.5 million who…
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Memorial Day, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington DC by Jason Frye Via Flickr: I hope everyone here in the US has a happy and safe Memorial In the case of the Vietnam War we have the opportunity to see some of the words left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC…
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www.nationalparks.org/connect/blog/24-things-know-when-visiting-vietnam-veterans-memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is one of many sites in the National Park System that preserves and honors the contributions of our military women and men. Visit the battlefields, military parks, historic sites, and memorials that stand as reminders of their sacrifice, learn about their struggles and experiences…
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC
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The Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors the men and women who served in the Vietnam War. Its main monument, known as ‘The Wall’ is the most The construction of a memorial was approved by Congress in 1980 as a result of campaigns by Vietnam Veterans. The project was financed privately…
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In 1981 The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund held an open, anonymous design competition to honor the living and fallen veterans of the Vietnam War. Measuring some 246 feet long, the walls extend out in a wide V-angle towards both the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.
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The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC recognizes and honors the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in one of America’s most divisive wars. Sometimes referred to simply as ‘the wall’, the memorial was born from a need […]
Who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC?
www.quora.com/Who-designed-the-Vietnam-Veterans-Memorial-in-Washington-DC?share=1
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, while originally designed as a single piece of art known as “The Wall”, has since had two additional pieces added in spite of protests from the original designer. The Wall, is a simple piece composed of two large polished granite slabs, on edge, joined at the apex of a…
Vietnam Veterans Memorial (@MemorialVietnam) | Твиттер
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Последние твиты от Vietnam Veterans Memorial (@MemorialVietnam). Home of the one and only Vietnam Veterans Memorial!. Washington, DC. Дата регистрации: май 2019 г.