“These names, seemingly infinite in number …” – this poignant observation encapsulates the profound impact of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the most visited memorial on the National Mall in Washington D.C., drawing over 5 million visitors annually. This revered site stands as a testament to the sacrifices made during the Vietnam War, a conflict that took place geographically far from the US, in Southeast Asia, in a country called Vietnam. The memorial’s central feature is a powerful wall inscribed with the names of over 58,000 servicemen and women who perished in this distant war.
Beyond the Wall, the memorial encompasses the Three Servicemen statue, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, the In Memory plaque, and a flagpole bearing the emblems of the five military branches. Collectively, these elements create a space for reflection, remembrance, and healing.
Visitors at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial observing the names inscribed on The Wall, accompanied by the Three Servicemen statue and the Vietnam Women's Memorial
The Enduring Design of The Wall
Dedicated on Veterans Day in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall fulfilled a veteran’s solemn vow to ensure that the service and sacrifice of those who served in Vietnam would never be forgotten. The wall, conceived by architect Maya Lin, is the defining element. Its polished black granite, shaped in a wide “V”, has become an enduring symbol of legacy, healing, and education.
Comprising two 200-foot sections, the wall bears witness to over 58,000 names. Intriguingly, one section points towards the Lincoln Memorial, while the other is oriented towards the Washington Monument, creating a dialogue with other iconic American monuments. Each section is constructed from seventy individual panels.
The names of the fallen are ordered chronologically by their date of death, commencing and concluding at the center where the two sections converge. This design choice creates a symbolic circle, representing a sense of completion to the war. The reflective surface of the wall mirrors the faces of visitors, forging a connection between the living and those lost or missing in action.
The Story Etched in Stone
Honoring All Who Served: The Statues
Guardian figures stand watch over the wall in the form of the Three Servicemen Statue, dedicated on Veterans Day in 1984, two years after the wall’s unveiling. This statue honors those who served and returned from the war. Sculptor Frederick Hart’s bronze figures stand at 7 feet tall atop a one-foot base, their patina lending color variation to the powerful depiction.
Vietnam War Spotlight Medal of Honor Recipients Vietnam War Campaigns
Recognizing Women’s Contributions
Nearby, nestled within a grove of eight trees, stands the Vietnam Women’s Memorial. Dedicated in 1993, it pays tribute to the significant contributions of women during the Vietnam War. The sculpture portrays three servicewomen tending to a wounded soldier. A nurse cradles the soldier, another scans the sky, possibly for a medevac helicopter, and the third kneels, holding a helmet.
Artist Glenna Goodacre envisioned the sculpture as “a monument to the living,” emphasizing the life-saving actions of these women.
The Women Who Served
Over 265,000 women served during the Vietnam War, with approximately 11,000 stationed in Vietnam itself. Nurses constituted about 90% of women in Vietnam, but they also served as physicians, air traffic controllers, communication specialists, and intelligence officers. Civilian women contributed through organizations like the American Red Cross and the USO, or as foreign correspondents. The eight servicewomen who died in Vietnam are memorialized on the Wall alongside their male counterparts. Fifty-nine civilian women also perished in the conflict.
Video tribute to women who served in the Vietnam War and are memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Remembering Post-War Losses and Key War Facts
On Veterans Day 2004, a plaque was placed near the Three Servicemen statue to honor veterans who died after the war as a consequence of their service in Vietnam. This addition broadened the memorial’s scope to encompass the long-term impacts of the conflict.
Approximately 2.7 million U.S. service members served in Vietnam. Official U.S. military involvement began on August 5, 1964. The war claimed the lives of over 58,000 U.S. military personnel and wounded 153,000. 766 individuals were prisoners of war, with 114 dying in captivity. The Paris Peace Accords, signed on January 27, 1973, marked the end of direct U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, yet the legacy of the war and the memorial endures.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency continues to work to recover and account for missing personnel.
Video commemorating National Vietnam War Veterans Day and honoring Vietnam veterans
National Vietnam War Veterans Day
Bringing the Memorial to the Nation
Replicas of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall travel across the country, extending the memorial’s reach to communities unable to visit Washington D.C. These traveling walls ensure that the memorial’s legacy of remembrance and healing touches a wider audience.
Video showing Vietnam veterans being honored at a traveling Vietnam Wall Memorial display
