V I E T N A M   V E T E R A N S   M E M O R I A L

Washington D.C.

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Memorial: #4

Dedicated: November 13, 1982

Visitation: 3,574,249 (FY 2004)

Highlights: 493-foot black granite Memorial Wall of 58,249 ingraved names, Three Servicemen Statue, Vietnam Women's Memorial, Directory of Names.

Lowlights: High degree of controversy around its design.

Location: National Mall, Washington, D.C, northeast of the Lincoln Memorial.

Hours: Open daily, 8am to midnight, closed December 25.

Admission: Free!

Links: Official Website | Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

Rating:

(5 max)

Making my way to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, I find myself passing by the Vietnam Women's Memorial. Designed by artist Glenna Goodacre, this memorial portrays an all too common scene from the war. A scene of dying, caring, praying, and hoping, as eloquently illustrated in this bronze commission.

Atop a pile of sandbags you'll find three uniformed women and an inclined, injured soldier. One nurse provides undivided attention to the wounded man, who looks as if he may soon become one of the many fatalities of the war. The nurse seems to be holding pressure upon his chest, trying to stem the bleeding from some horrific, unsightly wound. Another woman is looking skyward, as if watching the arrival of a medivac helicopter, or perhaps looking towards the Heavens, beseeching God for divine intervention in this trial time. The last woman is kneeling, either contemplating the unfolding event or praying for help and support.

Wow, this memorial is pretty powerful stuff! Added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1994 to better memorialize those who participated in the conflict, it does well to honor the many women who served in the war effort.

Near the entrance of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial I encounter the Three Servicemen Statue. Commemorating the American soldiers who put their lives in harms way, the statue (and flagpole) serves as a bridge of compromise. When the Memorial Wall was opened in 1982, many believed the memorial was too gloomy, macabre, and morose. The monument's black granite and below ground level placement signified shame and non-acceptance of the war. This division in opinion wasn't just a general public issue. Sadly enough, it was also a growing issue amongst the veterans themselves. The monument wasn't healing old wounds, it was reopening them.

As a way to bring both sides together, artist Fredrick Hart was commissioned to create a statue set that would capture the honor, bravery, and spirit of the American soldiers. In 1984, the statue set was erected to help heal the nation's wounds. Milt Copulos, a former opponent to the memorial design, admitted in the end that "the wall of the memorial could have been a wall between us," but instead it "became a bridge."