The Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Located on the National Mall in Washington, DC, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial recognizes and honors the men and women who served in the Vietnam War. The Memorial consists of three parts -- the Wall of names, the Three Servicemen Statue and Flagpole, and the Vietnam Women’s Memorial.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, designed by Maya Ying Lin, contains the names of the 58,220 men and women who were killed and remain missing from the war.

The names are listed in the order in which the men and women died or were declared missing. The first name is located in the center of the memorial, at the top of the Wall, under the date “1959,” the year of the first death. The names continue line by line down each panel, as if each were a page in a book, towards the right end of the memorial. The names resume at the left end of the memorial and continue toward the center. It is here, at the bottom of the wall, where the last death is recorded, next to the date “1975.” A diamond next to a name indicates a person was killed. A plus next to a name indicates a person is missing. Over 1,000 of the names on the Wall are of people who are missing.

The names are etched on black granite panels, which are arranged into two arms, extending from a central point to form a wide angle of 125 degrees 12 minutes. The result is a shape of a “v” . Each wall is 246 feet 9 inches long, while the total length of the Wall is 493 feet 6 inches. It is 10 feet 3 inches high at the center of the memorial.

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Three Servicemen Statue and Flagpole

The proposed design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial angered some Vietnam veterans and others who felt that it did not convey the heroism, patriotism, and honor inherent in most war memorials. The Three Servicemen Statue, designed by Frederick Hart, was a compromise to that controversy and honors the American military who served in Vietnam.

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Vietnam Women’s Memorial

This sculpture, designed by Glenna Goodacre, depicts three uniformed women with a wounded soldier. While one nurse comforts the soldier, another kneels. The third looks to the skies.

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For more information, check out the National Park Service and the Virtual Wall, maintained by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.

See the original Ben’s Guide page.