Over the next few years, as the war came to a close and more and more troops returned home, the media began to paint a picture of the stereotypical Vietnam veteran: drug addicted, bitter, discontented, and unable to adjust to life back home. To make his dream a reality, he planned to get support from people as diverse as former anti-war presidential candidate George McGovern and Gen. William Westmoreland, who commanded U.S. forces in Vietnam. MEMORIAL HISTORY Ann Curthoys, ‘ “Vietnam”: Public Memory of an Anti-War Movement’ in Kate Darian-Smith and Paula Hamilton (eds), Memory and History in Twentieth Century Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1994. Memory and Form: An Analysis of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Julianne Corbin (WR 150, Paper 3) Read the instructor’s introduction Download this essay. With the jury selected, the next task was to announce and promote the competition. Doubek approached Scruggs after the meeting and suggested that he form a nonprofit corporation as a vehicle to build a memorial. “They are a treasure of design insight and included many prescient thoughts as to how the Memorial would likely be experienced,” Spreiregen wrote of Clay’s notes. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is the most visited war memorial in the United States capital, yet its history comes full of debate and controversy. The solution on how to locate a name evolved into a directory of names with an alphabetical listing and the panel and line number of each name. Then, you will take a tour of the most somber memorial in Washington, D.C. Four years after the Vietnam War ended, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., was established to create a memorial for veterans of the Vietnam … Much of the impetus behind the formation of the fund came from a wounded Vietnam War veteran, Jan Scruggs, who was inspired by the film The Deer Hunter, with support from fellow Vietnam veterans such as West Point and Harvard Business School graduate John P. Wheeler III. Vietnam Veterans Memorial, also called The Wall, national monument in Washington, D.C., honouring members of the U.S. armed forces who served and died in the Vietnam War (1955–75). The wall features a 3/5-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. it’s 375 feet long and 7-1/2 feet tall at its tallest point. Scruggs was raised in a rural Maryland town between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.  His mother was a waitress; his father a milkman. As VVMF focused on fundraising, Sens. Their military experience meant they had contacts far and wide, at all levels of all professions, within government and the private sector. “Many had worked together, some in Washington. To learn about us and how you can help maintain this site. “I think I even spilled my coffee.” But, her presence made a difference. The Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee (MVVMC) was formed in 2000 to build the Commonwealth’s statewide tribute to the 1,536 men and one woman who rendered the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War, and the 235,000 Bay State veterans of that conflict who still survived. Scruggs and Doubek met with Mathias to outline their plans. The idea for a memorial seemed like a natural extension of his work and his growing desire to find a way to help veterans. VVMF met the prospective jurors and scrutinized their credentials. The text size is less than half an inch, which is unusual for monument design, but was selected to make the memorial read more like a book. “We’re all the result of our upbringing. Photo by William “Bill” Lecky. His reasoning was that a complete mess would make it tough to stop construction. Mathias also knew the country was ready, Healy recalled. Cupp attended many of their meetings on Capitol Hill as they drummed up support. All Rights Reserved. In the fall of 1980, VVMF announced the national design competition open to any U.S. citizen, who was over 18 years old. Scruggs and Doubek realized that Cupp could be instrumental in helping communicate the all-important personal, emotional side of the healing story. Wheeler had the idea to bypass the traditional site selection route and have Congress pass legislation to award a specific area for a memorial site. “We had been friends for a long time,” Mathias said. “The design competition also needed to be able to attract design competitors.”. Scruggs took two weeks off from his job at the Department of Labor to develop the idea further. But if the challenges seemed insurmountable, no one expressed any fears. He made an impassioned plea for funding to his guests, members of the defense industry. Encouraged by her professor, the architecture student entered it in the national design competition being held for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial … They complained about the walls being black. The controversy overshadowed the mission and what we were doing,” until the Salute brought it all together. The war’s length and the growing number of casualties were fueling tensions. The task groups proved effective, as described by John Woods, who jointed as a key advisor. AMBUSH OF 5-22-68 The first fundraising letter was signed by Bob Hope. They would include a big National Salute to Vietnam Veterans at Veterans Day. The mission of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is to honor and preserve the legacy of service and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War. Inside the Visitors Center is a Gift Shop, media room showing the HBO documentary Dear America: Letters Home From Vietnam, a veterans room honoring those KIA and MIA and a photo gallery room. She greeted each visitor in a regal fashion, wearing a dressing gown, perfect makeup, and beautiful shoes that curled up at the toes. It was the first major memorial created to honor the veterans of the Vietnam War, and inspired the establishment of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., which was completed over ten years later, in 1982. THE FOUNDATION BOARD Spreiregen recommended having a multi-disciplinary panel: two architects, two landscape architects, two sculptors, and one generalist with extensive knowledge about art, architecture, and design. WWII Memorial. Tools. Early in his efforts Scruggs had called on Emogene Cupp, then the national president of the American Gold Star Mothers. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. From the registration forms, it was apparent that architects, artists, designers, as well as veterans and students — of all ages and all levels of experience — were planning to participate. At that time, they just ignored you and wished you would go away. “It was very hurtful,” Cupp recalled. The Vietnam War has a long history. It was the Senator’s gut feeling that we needed to do this.”, “This was serious business,” Mathias said. It would have power for individual veterans, but collectively, they would have even greater power to show the enormity of the sacrifices that were made.”. To created credibility for the fledgling effort, they formed the National Sponsoring Committee, which included then-first lady Rosalynn Carter, former President Gerald Ford, Bob Hope, future first lady Nancy Reagan, Gen. William C. Westmoreland, USA, Vietnam veteran author James Webb, and Adm. James J. Stockdale, USN. VVA is the only such organization chartered by the United States Congress and dedicated to Vietnam veterans and their families. As the selection of the granite was narrowed down, Lin was keen on preserving the notion that the granite walls be reflective and thin – to help express a critical aspect of the design –  that the memorial was a cut in the earth that had been polished. The chief design criteria were that the memorial be 1) reflective and contemplative in character; 2) be harmonious with its site and environment, 3) make no political statement about the war itself, and 4) contain the names of all who died or remain missing. He was in Vietnam, serving in the 199th Light Infantry Brigade. Then, in October 1980, veteran and lawyer Tom Carhart, also a former supporter, testified before the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) against the design, saying that “One needs no artistic education to see this design for what it is, a black trench that scars the Mall. “I heard there was a group of serious veterans, not just people getting together to have a beer in the evening, but a group that was serious about getting together to address the problems of the veterans.”. It was one of the longest wars involving America. However, the Westphall family persevered, relying primarily on its own financial resources. The original design proposal called for all of the names to be individually hand-chiseled in the stone, but it was soon realized the time and money it would take to do that were impractical. But how and where could all of the submissions be displayed? Some felt that the money to build a memorial could be better spent delivering the many services veterans needed. The Chapel was dedicated on May 22, 1971, the 3rd anniversary of the death of 1st Lt. David Westphall. He could still picture the faces of his 12 buddies, but the passing years were making it harder and harder to remember their names. Scruggs, Wheeler, and Doubek then scouted the Mall – sometimes by bicycle – to identify the ideal spot: a stretch of parkland known as Constitution Gardens, located on the National Mall adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial. “You had to live through that period to really understand it. The added component of military security made the location even more attractive, since it would ensure no interference with the designs or the judging. To achieve this effect she chose polished black granite for the walls. When people visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., they can see the 58,279 names on The Wall, The Three Servicemen statue, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, the In Memory plaque, and a flagpole that flies both the U.S. and the POW-MIA flag.. . The Vietnam War was a divisive and politically polemic war. They stressed that all funds for the Memorial would be raised from private donations. As they forged a partnership with Mathias and his staff, VVMF also set out to establish other key relationships. Using his findings, he testified at the Senate hearing on the Veteran’s Health Care Amendments Act of 1977, with the hope that he could help veterans gain access to the services and support they needed. Its mirror-like surface reflects the images of the surrounding trees, lawns and monuments. They needed to secure a plot of land, raise funds and public awareness, design the Memorial, coordinate construction, and organize the dedication ceremonies. In 2004 the DWVF approached the state of New Mexico seeking another source of funding. By the March 31, 1981, deadline, 1,421 design entries were submitted for judging. Just before Christmas 1979, Warner hosted a fundraising breakfast in his Georgetown home. I remember The Washington Post had pages and pages of stories in the ‘A’ section.” Vietnam veterans were, at long last, receiving the recognition they deserved. The entire text size and layout Lin saw as an open book. The Salute opened with a vigil Wednesday morning at the National Cathedral, where all of the nearly 58,000 names on The Wall were read by volunteers around the clock, day and night, through midnight Friday. Contact Us. Starting in 1955, the war went on until 1975, making it the second-longest war, aside from the ongoing Afghanistan … Everything has to be thought out and in place before the launch button is pressed.”. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands as a symbol of America's honor and recognition of the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War. With the site approved, VVMF scrambled to address the issues of what the Memorial would look like and who would design it. “The Memorial had several purposes,” he explained. Vietnam and All Veterans of Brevard, located in Brevard County, Florida, manages the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall. Over the years, Doc Westphall and the David Westphall Veterans Foundation (DWVF) sought permanent sources of funding. The 10th anniversary of the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day ceremony took place Monday in Helena, although a cold March morning wind forced the cancellation of the planned walk. The jury evaluation took place over five days, from April 27 through May 1, 1981. The combination of the public’s willingness to talk about the Vietnam War and the basic issues that it raised, as well as the veterans themselves coming forward, was augmented by the nation’s dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in November 1982. We had to constantly find the most effective next step to take and be sure not to get waylaid by tangents.”  The group started to hold regular planning meetings. The "Wall" (as it is commonly called), completed in 1982, is just one of three … Maci Kepler, right, gets some assistance from Vietnam Veterans Group (VVG) volunteer Terry Rapp as she browses the names on the Vietnam Taveling Memorial Wall. The reputation of the jurors was important to attract the best designers and to minimize second guessing by the Federal approval bodies. THE FOUNDATION When VVMF announced the selection of Lin’s design, the initial public reaction was generally positive. It was becoming apparent that we had been able to be instruments to something far greater than anything we had ever imagined.”. It seemed every time they contacted someone, they were greeted with enthusiasm for the idea. VOLUNTEERS, “When sons or daughters die in battle, parents are confronted with the choice of what they will do to honor the courage and sacrifice of that son or daughter. “The whole week was extremely emotional,” Becky Scruggs remembered. Larry Century, a young inventor from Cleveland, Ohio, was selected to serve as a consultant to Binswanger Glass Company in Memphis, Tennessee, which was awarded the contract for inscribing the names. While the memorial and names provide an obvious visual reminder, Army Veteran Jan Scruggs wants people to know the story behind the memorial. In this lesson, you will explore the history and meaning of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. “I had my ear to the ground,” Mathias recalled. He also found that those veterans whose units experienced high casualty rates were experiencing higher divorce rates and a greater frequency of combat-related dreams. It seemed every time they contacted someone, they were greeted with enthusiasm for the idea. we're in Washington DC on the mall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial which is situated right between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial Mile in the architect of the memorial thought about uniting the memorial to the nation's pass bringing together the past and the present well it's this very long series of slabs of stone this highly reflective black granite that actually points to both … ‘I remind all of you of Martin Luther King Jr., who fought for justice for all Americans. The design was considered very carefully due to the distinctive design of the chapel. Many pushed friends in wheelchairs. Or, people would tell me, ‘Well why did you let him go?’ Of course, what choice do you have?”. 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