Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Vietnam Veterans Memorial, war memorial in Washington, D.C., built 1982. Designed by the American sculptor and architect Maya Ying Lin, it is a sloping, V-shaped, 493-ft (150-m) wall of highly polished black granite that descends 10 feet (3.05 meters) below grade level at its vertex. Often called simply "The Wall," it is inscribed with the names of the more than 58,000 Americans killed or missing during the Vietnam War. The austere, abstract nature of Lin's design, which was selected after a nationwide competition, at first made it a controversial way of memorializing the war's casualties. In the years since its construction, however, the simple, evocative, and starkly dramatic wall has become a national shrine, drawing more annual visitors than the Washington Monument or the Lincoln Memorial. Two nearby sculptures also honor those who served in the war; one is of three soldiers by Frederick E. Hart (erected 1984), the other of three nurses and a wounded soldier by Glenna Goodacre (erected 1993).

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Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Monument in Washington, D.C., designed by Maya Lin. It consists of two low, black granite walls that meet to form a wide V shape. Engraved on the mirrorlike surface are the names of the more than 58,000 U.S. dead and missing-in-action who served in the Vietnam War, listed by date of casualty. When Lin's abstract design was announced, several veterans groups and others protested; eventually a traditional statue depicting three servicemen with a flag was commissioned, to stand at the entrance to the site. Since its dedication in 1982, the controversial wall has become one of the city's most visited and most affecting tourist attractions.

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Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Parks Directory of the United States / US National Parks / National Memorials

Address: c/o National Capitol Park - Central
900 Ohio Drive SW
Washington, DC 20024
Phone: 202-426-6841;
Fax: 202-426-1844;
Web: www.thewall-usa.com
Size: 2 acres.
Established: Authorized on July 1, 1980; dedicated on November 13, 1982. Vietnam Women's Memorial dedicated on November 11, 1993.
Location: Near the Lincoln Memorial at the west end of Constitution Gardens in Washington, DC.
Facilities: Rest rooms (é).
Activities: Walking tours, interpretive programs.
Special Features: The polished black granite wall is inscribed with the names of more than 58,000 persons who gave their lives or remain missing in the Vietnam War (1964-1973). The memorial was designed by Maya Ying Lin. The entrance plaza includes a flagstaff and bronze statue of three Vietnam servicemen sculpted by Frederick Hart. The Vietnam Women's Memorial features a multifigure bronze statue designed by Glenna Goodacre.

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See other parks in District of Columbia.