Vietnam Memorial Wall

The Vietnam Memorial Wall was designed by Maya Lin, her design being chosen from a nation competition of 1421 entries. Funding for the project was from private donations to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund lead by Jan Scruggs, John P Wheeler and Robert W. Doubek. Building commenced and the memorial was dedicated on November 13 as part of a 5 day 'National Salute to Vietnam Veterans' ceremony. The selection of Maya Lyn's design was not without controversy with it being described as 'a black gash of shame and sorrow'. A decision was made to add a flagstaff and bronze statue (the Three Soldiers) which was going to be on the apex of the wall to make them the focal point. Lin protested the inclusion of the statue within her design and it was subsequently unveiled in a plaza looking directly at the wall.
Initially the wall had the names of 57,939 service men and women (there are 8 women, all nurses, listed) who died in the conflict engraved on the black marble slabs in chronological order. Since its unveiling over 400 names have been added and over 100 mis-spellings identified and corrected if the families wanted it.
Opposition to the Memorial Wall has reduced and the site is now a shrine to the memory of the fallen and many letters, mementos and sentimental items are left daily. Items left at the Wall are collected by the National Parks Service and non perishable items are catalogued and stored at the NPS Resource Centre.
The close up picture details some of the names of the 1st Battalion 7th Cavalry who fought and died in the first major battle between the US and Peoples Army of Vietnam at Ia Drang Valley Nov 1418 1965. The story of the 1st Battalion 7th Cavalry lead by Colonel Harold Moore is told in the film ' We Were Soldiers'.
Together with the Three Soldiers and Vietnam Women's Memorial, the Wall forms the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Sharky Ward
• Photos: Koos Winkelman (1, 2, 3), Anthony (Sharky) Ward (4, 5)
• ROSINSKY, NATALIE M., Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Compass Point Books, 2006.