"Vietnam Veterans Memorial" by NPS / Victoria Stauffenberg , public domain
Vietnam Veterans
National Memorial - District of Columbia
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a U.S. national memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were unaccounted for during the war.
The Vietnam memorial is made up of three parts: the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, completed first and the best-known part of the memorial; The Three Soldiers; and the Vietnam Women's Memorial.
The main part of the memorial, which was completed in 1982, is in Constitution Gardens adjacent to the National Mall, just northeast of the Lincoln Memorial. The Memorial Wall was designed by American architect Maya Lin.
Official Visitor Map of George Washington Memorial Parkway (MEMPKWY) in Virginia and District of Columbia. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Detail Map of the Georgetown to Swains Lock section of Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (NHP) in Washington D.C., Maryland and West Virginia. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Official Visitor Map of Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (NHP) in Washington D.C., Maryland and West Virginia. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Official Brochure of Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the District of Columbia. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
https://www.nps.gov/vive/index.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_Veterans_Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a U.S. national memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were unaccounted for during the war.
The Vietnam memorial is made up of three parts: the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, completed first and the best-known part of the memorial; The Three Soldiers; and the Vietnam Women's Memorial.
The main part of the memorial, which was completed in 1982, is in Constitution Gardens adjacent to the National Mall, just northeast of the Lincoln Memorial. The Memorial Wall was designed by American architect Maya Lin.
Honoring the men and women who served in the controversial Vietnam War, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial chronologically lists the names of 58,318 Americans who gave their lives in service to their country.
GPS Coordinates: 38.891112, -77.047626 Address: 5 Henry Bacon Drive NW, Washington, D.C. Nearest Intersection: Henry Bacon Drive & Constitution Ave. NW
Vietnam Veterans Memorial at night
Lights glow at the base of the wall of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial with Washington Monument.
Visiting after dark completely changes the character of the memorial.
Vietnam Women's Memorial
Bronze statue of three women with a wounded soldier.
Women in Service to their country during Vietnam
Three Servicemen Statue
A bronze statue of three soldiers standing together, carrying weapons, and looking to their right.
The Three Servicemen statue and the flagpole were added shortly after the memorial opened in its original configuration.
Visitors to the wall
A man kneels and takes a photo of the wall surrounded by other people. Flowers are at the wall base.
Memorial Day weekend is a special time to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Notes and flags set at the base of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a black wall inscribed with names.
Many have left memories of the fallen over the years.
National Mall and Memorial Parks - 2018 Partnership Report
Our generous partners and volunteers provided more than $34 million in philanthropic contributions in 2018 helping us fund preservation projects, programs, commemorations, and celebrations.
Aerial photo of the Washington Monument and Reflecting Pool
National Park Getaway: National Mall & Memorial Parks
National Mall and Memorial Parks is a diverse national park with distinctive sites that excite and enchant visitors while they learn the history of our nation. Begin your journey through “America’s Front Yard,” home to some of the nation's more iconic memorials located in the heart of the nation's capital.
Cherry blossoms framing the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in the distance
Memorial Day - Over 150 Years of Remembrance
When did the first Memorial Day happen? The answer is a lot more complicated than you think!
Black and white image, in memoriam is on a sign on top of American Flag buntings on a bandstand.
Memorials for the Future
Memorials for the Future, is a competition that aims to rethink the way we develop and experience memorials in Washington, D.C.
Memorials for the Future Logo
National Mall and Memorial Parks - 2019 Partnership Report
Our generous partners and volunteers provided more than $34 million in philanthropic contributions in 2018 helping us fund preservation projects, programs, commemorations, and celebrations.
Aerial photo of the Washington Monument and Reflecting Pool
Silent Sentinels of Storied Landscapes
From the majestic elms along the National Mall and the stately oaks of Capitol Hill to the historic magnolias of the White House, and the graceful blossoms of the cherry trees, these trees not only witness history, but also serve as representatives of our nation's urban forests.
The Washington Monument towers over cherry trees along the Tidal Basin.
Plan Like a Park Ranger: Top 10 Tips for Visiting the National Mall
Memorial Day weekend usually marks the beginning of the summer travel season. Across the country, friends, families, and individuals will head out to enjoy adventures and make memories. Of course, national parks - including the National Mall - are popular destinations. To help you #PlanLikeAParkRanger, we're offering our Top 10 tips to help you on your next National Mall visit.
Text reading
Sea Level Rise in the DC Area
Learn about current and projected rates of sea level rise in the greater DC area, based on local water level data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
A tall white cylinder attached to a wooden pier with Hains Point in the background.
Event Recap - Stories of Service: Empowering Youth and Young Adults to Be the Future Face of Volunteering in National Parks
The National Park Service Youth Programs Division co-hosted a virtual event, “Stories of Service: Empowering Youth and Young Adults to Be the Future Face of Volunteering in National Parks” on November 10, 2021 with the National Park Service Volunteers-In-Parks Program (VIP) in partnership with the National Park Foundation (NPF). A diverse panel shared their stories of volunteering in parks and the impacts these experiences have had on them.
Screenshot of speakers and panelists from Nov. 10 Volunteers Event
NAMA Notebook: Memorial Day
Looking for end-of-year projects that use a multidisciplinary approach? Here are some ideas to incorporate the history and symbolism of Memorial Day using sites and stories from the National Mall.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall with five wreaths in front, row of flags above
Shaping the System Under President Jimmy Carter
President Jimmy Carter oversaw one of the largest growths in the National Park System. Explore some of the parks that are part of the legacy of the presidency of Jimmy Carter, who served as the 39th president of the United States from January 20, 1977, to January 20, 1981.
Historic photo of Jimmy Carter walking through a crowd at Harpers Ferry
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Official Park Guide
L BARovETTo "
aruLlt'JOHN
[.rt r..qHr|{N'\\']tll{\1,r,.,nr:ilsdr'r"'ilo'\d{-s (ly.trl"doBERir
RAY BRYSSN '
, noaini c BnrcH^ri'liloNaLb n sfut cINtR ' I'HNNY
lu$ -w sri{xc}t T'ox,r.\s * rxr-ii,in
' LARRY i clEt/vl '
,
k*rm n BljTull. RoHtRl L rreiLrn ' nrL,urR R JoN[s"\{ANUrL
cAslLLA-YlI-alf J,-
Fl*r.rrCC1LSi:I.CLrUDIHDORRIS'DAV|DWOvrn'nnNfWARDS'ENRIQUIFrRN'{NDEZ-LE5'|ON'
' BoB L cRECoRY ' RrNE curRRA-HERNANDEZ
[ij,ii,i i&Li;,uriuiiix ioni: . ,t'oi'mao N coNlArEZ
it r.; cUlrrtruZ . i){RR[t \.\, HIrRIN JOHN C C.{IHOUN , ],IMES i HESKETT' LOUIS t'lltlYtR '
iilirr ulLirriiiD jr.RUtt-rs HooD' ,,\r{Es rt tN;\lr\N ' DAVID LIOHNSON 'ARNotDo L CARRILLO '
ITNCIP'ORi}.d\.'.{\1TJ}O.iEFH.ROI}IITICKFARNTY.RICHARDCKTITE'ROCERDLII]BETTIR
THL.IiII{L'I]i.RDrIT.i.i.O\DIiI,iIT.BL.U[,\1.\C};{RIII'1.\!VRE\CE,\IIHLONi'RICHARDCN1ANCRL]A1
ilr{\r \ \r.rRi".\iii.\\ . {tL-\\ }tt\L)ttl' iltlOTT\\'A{OURE .ARTHL'R I1|LLER lr ' DON,{LD L A4ONKMAN .
:ii'1i1" l,\lt\iX\ir\tL.i.-\\ltS lIlOR.-\, BOBBY R{\ I{('KlN\ON ' ROUERT NItLSEN , 1,4,\iES E Pi.{Y .
t'tsLtll1i(\'i\L]r'tD\\{RDlRILti[R'HL'BERTRO\'STERJr.piitLlpLRLj\1t\sKllr.ROBERTCRus]tiR.
IiI.\\iCSCIIIi{U\1,I{\\iil\CL hSEPULIIDA.NENNIIH S SIIrIH ir.J,{,\1ES.\1STO\]E.FR.{NK SUTTON .
DirL\\tili.ils.RtlBilirsTnr-riLLil RoEtRT\y\4{il[N.naniNtn,iirAruci,H,,vitst.enr,rnlioN.
.\u$i\\\lit).C.\ii\l)t[R\,\\DrZ,j{rLH\\rSB.jOSEi,CliL"inl,],,rirCUiii'lr,ftOX."'-'
.,rlir('\\()LF .\\.jr'rILr-i\11r,.)c,'r .Tr\10]H' ri,"\RTiii-\ .
,'ie Lr;ir i,ori;':iii;,JJBi6;f H
uro ,'i slssrr Lawniici't'covixcroN .
Itlli I lllil;l l,$:ll,li,l:lfcl]..tgvr
RussFr i k Rr Ar7
, J[-ii'i:r I t_"j""j.,\iriq,t.th
,t*i\
.r
tr i i;iii i,,,i *i'j
ii [, ];[t x'Jlui: i]i{{iitldr#xl l.[Jit gT,, . *^*
'-'ti:
i1 i'1l$ il$, Xffi
il 1;,,:5 ll' :g;,5i J ijt ; lj?r iirl iiii i-ii,:*ff ii, A*,,\*'c
\
I
1
\
'1.,\ I'
i.!
t/\Lt
'\!,r
-.r
-
L
1
liJi.i
i::til';l{it;ii,l'ijl:iiiiiiil;;i',i':i?}j'li:ili i:io!'illili'i
\\\r',
,,1.,.[rr\i\\,rrr.\ri".i\iii\\:f)l(
Dr
:rirl\i i\,rrr.\ri"ii i. irr:t,Ll.r\iiii.r
F ri\,- r\ :"tl\j:l.ll"i.lioc[R C io\\\()R-lH
riilr,ti.L,li]\\r-r\llirLiu\.I\oc[RCit)r\\()lll.H.
J.
.
n,,iiilii,'ilill\i)tilil,,\l':l)l:,!loro',jiii,in\.,,KErp.
':,. ,i;,_\li'll}lJ.li,i-l'r
t,
.:,r,..}i-^tr:';,t,.,;,:.,;i\Lr : i\-i.. i'i,i',r.-','),
,,,.'.'
' ..).':,,,,,I ::, \ii.ir,.,'ri ,i.i
t
.
ouR NATION HONORS THE COURAGT,, SACRIFICE ANn
DEVOIION TO DUTY AI\[D COT.JNTRY OF ITS VIETI\AM VETERANS
THIS MEMORIALWAS BIJIII WITH PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS
FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
November11,1982
Beginning the Healing Process
t i'i.,,
-:
t-
r-i
,
u
"ll
d-r
-i
-1, I
,'.',).
' t: ..
; jii,"
j',
ii
1;i'i ,t ',,
. )r i ', ,', {
.,
-q i! \
i
_
;;;i;
.':
+l
-rt
, i',,u,,
A
i, *-_rr{
i
3_\
Maya Ying Lin conceived her design as
creating a park within a
park-a quiet protected
place unto itself, yet
harmonious with the
site, To achieve this
elfect she chose polished black granite for
the walls. lts mirrorlike
surlace reflects the surrounding trees, lawns,
monuments, and the
people Iooking for
names. The memorial's
walls point to the Washington Monument and
the Lincoln Memoria!.
The 58,022 names are
inscribed in chronologicalorder of the date of
casualty, showing the
war as a series of individual human sacrifices
and giving each name a
special place in history.
"The names would become the memorial,"
Lin said..
The names begin at the
vertex of the walls be-
"iii.r
t'|.
' l! 't
:r !
' ].-jr\'" ,l':
'
r'. r .".
'r-r,i',,i \iii't't.
low the date of the first
casualty and continue
!o the end of the east
wall. They resume at
the tip of the west wall,
ending at the vertex,
above the date ol the
last death. With the
meeting of the beginning and ending, a maior epoch in American
history is denoted. Each
name is preceded on
the west wallorfollowed on the east wall
by one of two symbols:
a diamond or a cross.
The diamond denotes
that the individual's
death was confirmed.
The approximately
1,300 persons whose
names are designated
by the cross were either missing or prisoners at the end ol the
war and remain missing and unaccounted
for. lf a person returns
alive, a circle, as a
symbolol life, will be
inscribed around the
1
The Vietnam Veterans
Memorial Fund" lnc., a
nonprofit charitable organization formed to
establish the memorial,
was the idea of Jan
Scruggs, a former inlantry corporal during
the war. !t was incorporated on April 27, 1979,
by a group of Vietnam
veterans in Washing-
ton, D.C. The founders
wanted Vietnam veterans to have a tangible
symbolof recognition
lrom American society.
They early on realized
that whatever design
would ultimately result,
four basic criteria had
to be met: (1) that it be
reflective and contemplative in character, (2)
that it harmonize with
its surroundings, especially the neighboring
national memorials, (3)
that it contain the names
of all who died or remain
missing, and (4) that it
make no political statement about the war. By
sep