Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Amazing Things to See at The Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Designed by a 21-year-old college student, Maya Lin, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is located north of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The memorial was built to honor courageous soldiers who fought to death or were reported missing in the 1955-1975 Vietnam War.
It is among the most visited Memorial in Washington, D.C. and highly recommended by our staff here at Priddy Chimney Sweeps, receiving over 4 million visitors a year. With the help of the National Park service guide, you can plan a visit to the Memorial and experience the following landmarks.
Memorial Wall
The black granite wall is engraved with 58,000 veterans names. It Stretches 246 feet long symbolizing a permanent barrier between the living and the dead. A visitor’s reflection on the names on the wall is probably one of the most powerful defining features it possess as it acts as a connection between the past and the present.
Contrary to the normal alphabetical listing of names, the engraved names are listed chronologically following the dates of casualty. This methodical listing of names unfolds the history of the Vietnam war and also enables the visiting Vietnam veterans locate the exact year and date they served in the war.
The Three Servicemen
Unveiled in 1984, The Three ServiceMen bronze statue was added on Veteran’s Day to honor all of the returned soldiers who took part in the Vietnam War.
Though not part of the initial design, a compromise was reached to add the statue as part of the memorial in order to settle disagreements that arose concerning the Memorial unconventional architectural design.
The Three ServiceMen constituting of caucasian, Latino and African American soldiers represent the diversity of the US military. According to the Histories of the National Mall, the sub-unit under which these soldiers served was intentionally left unclear to typify all those who served in Vietnam.
Vietnam Women’s Memorial
Diane Carlson Evans founder of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation sphere headed the campaign to incorporate Vietnam Women’s foundation in Washington DC.
Honoring the 265,000 women volunteers who served in the Vietnam era, these women patriotism was displayed alongside their brothers by the unveiling of the symbolic bronze statue.
Overlooking the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is the 15 feet tall sculpture depiction of three women attending to a wounded soldier. The inclusion of this monument has considerably helped in educating the public about the roles these brave women played.
8 Things To Know About Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was built through donations from unions, Corporations, veterans groups and foundations.
- A 21-year-old college student from Yale designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial after winning a national design contest.
- The simplicity of the black granite wall attracted criticism from some veterans.
- In Spite of the criticism that surrounded its architectural structure, the Vietnam Veteran Memorial became one of the favorite landmarks in the US.The inscribed names are listed chronologically by day starting from the center of the wall. Half of the names are engraved moving towards the Eastern side of the wall and the other half from the Western side of the wall converging at the center.
- There are different symbols engraved alongside the soldier’s names. Diamonds imply the soldier has been declared dead and a plus symbol means a soldier was reported missing in action.
- Names continue to be added on the wall. This is in the case of the death of a veteran who meets a particular U.S. Department of Defense conditions.
- Items left by visitors at the memorial wall are carefully catalogued and kept in the warehouse. Almost 150,000 items have been collected since the unveiling of the wall.
Although surrounded by controversies, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial rose to become one of the top ten beloved sites in the US. From the extensive Vietnam Veterans Wall to the Three Soldiers Statue and the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, Vietnam Veteran Memorial is a poignant place to visit and pay tribute to the fallen soldiers.
If you’re interested in learning more about the various conflicts the U.S. has been involved in we would encourage you to also visit the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
