Learning About the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

To this day, the Vietnam War has left veritable scars in the hearts and minds of people whose family members had sacrificed their lives fighting for a cause they believed in. The proud volunteers in this war may be long gone, but their lives are commemorated and remembered through a proud monument that stands testament to their courage and nationalism.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is also known as “the Wall” or the VVM. It is located in between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.. This commemorative monument was formally dedicated and accepted by U.S. President Ronald Reagan. It was formally accepted on the 11th of November, 1984. Not a penny from the Federal funds were needed for the creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It was privately funded by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., a non-profit charitable organization of Vietnam Veterans.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., also known as the VVMF had managed to raise almost $9 million through various private contributions made by different corporations, unions, foundations, civic organizations, veterans and individuals interested in helping create this beautiful monument. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was founded by one of its members, Jan Scruggs who was part of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade during the years of 1969-1970.

This memorial was created not as a war memorial but rather a memorial for all the people who served in the Vietnam war, either living or dead. The three figures found in the VVM are called “The Three Servicemen.”

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was designed by Maya Ying Lin, an undergraduate architecture student in Yale. Her unique and ingenious design was chosen over 1,421 other designs submitted in a public competition. The sculpture of the three servicemen on the other hand, was designed by a sculptor from Washington named Frederic Hart. The sculpture was cast in bronze before being placed on the monument. Hart was given $330,000 for his work.

Also found in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a flagpole which had been approved by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts on the 13th of October, 1982. The flag staff was then grouped with the sculpture to help indicate the dramatic entrance to the memorial site. To this day, the flag flies 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, to honor all the men and women whose names are immortalized on the wall.

There is a directory on the 58,256 names listed on the wall. Around 1,200 of these names are listed as people who were missing during the war. The names on the wall are listed in chronological order of the person's death or the date the person was regarded as missing. From eight in the morning until midnight, there is always someone who can help visitors locate particular names on the directory. Flashlights are also provided for the guests during nighttime.