Veterans are the national heritage of a country, and Vietnam veterans are one such example who led the path for our future generations to follow. They have led their life by example and in the finest manner.
THE MEMORIAL WALL:
The memorial wall is a wall that is made of granite with the V-shaped wall. It has the names of 58,000 men, and women who were either missing in action or killed during the wall.
Design:
There were over 14,00 submissions, but American architect Maya Lin’s design was chosen.
Dedication:
It was dedicated to the Veterans on the Veterans day of 1982, and since then it has become a national heritage.
Names:
Initially, the wall had names of 57, 939, but over the years there has been an addition to the name, and it has jumped to 58,282.
Panels:
It has 70 separate panels that make up the walls of the V shape.
One end of the memorial wall points toward the Washington Monument, while the other points to the Lincoln Memorial.
Why?
The Memorial was formed to acknowledge the sacrifices of those who served in the Vietnam war.
Foundation:
It was founded by Jan Scruggs who served in Vietnam in the 199th Light Infantry Brigade.
Length:
The walls that contain more than 58,000 names are 200 feet.
Order:
The names are in their chronological order, and end with the origin or center where the two walls meet.
Signify:
The walls meet to form a circle that signifies the completion of the war.
Reflection:
The visitors can see their reflection in the granite walls that connect to the lives that were lost.
Three Servicemen statue:
The statue was unveiled on the Veterans day of 1984.
Honors:
It shows the ones who returned from the war by honoring them standing and keeping a watch over the wall.
Colorations:
Some colorations were given by Artist Fredrick hart with the help patina.
Depiction:
The servicemen are seven feet tall upon a one-foot tall base.
Diversity:
The three figures represent a Hispanic, an African American, and a Caucasian man, this is done to represent the ethnic groups that participated in the war.
Women:
There is a Vietnam Women’s Memorial statue that was opened to the public on Veterans day of 1993.
Nurse:
Diane Carlson is the former nurse that led the efforts which finally recognized the 11,000 women who volunteered for the war.
First:
Evans is credited to be the first woman in US history who led an effort to create a national monument in DC.
Wounded soldier:
The bandage on the wounded soldier’s face is supposed to make the visitors feel they are him, and picture the care that women provided
Memory Plaque:
It was added to the memorial site on Veterans day of 2004.
- It is surrounding The Three Servicemen statue.
- This is to honor the soldiers whose lives were cut short due to service in the war but were not eligible for the inscription on the wall.
- The causes of death included PTSD related, Hodgkin’s and Parkinson’s’, exposure to chemicals and cancer.
Conclusion:
Vietnam Veterans Memorial is one of the sites that honor, and preserves the sacrifices made by the brave military men in the Vietnam way. It is an important place to learn and educate oneself about it.