JFK+50: Volume 7, No. 2128
VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL DEDICATED 34 YEARS AGOWashington, D.C. (JFK+50) Following a march by thousands of veterans, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated 34 years ago, November 13, 1982, here in Washington, D.C.
The Memorial features a V-shape black-granite wall inscribed with the names of 58,307 Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice during the war. The names are listed chronologically by date of death. The names were inscribed on the stones in Memphis, Tennessee.
Maya Lin, then a 21 year old student at the Yale School of Architecture, designed the memorial. Lin is the daughter of Chinese immigrants.
In 1984, a statue of "Three Soldiers" was added to the memorial site and on November 11, 1993, the "Vietnam Womens Memorial" was dedicated at the site.
According to the National Park Service, they have more than 3 million visitors to the Memorial every year. It is open 24 hours a day and is located near the intersection of 22nd Street and Constitution Avenue NW. It is north of the Lincoln Memorial.
UNITED STATES VIETNAM WAR CASUALTIES BY YEAR
1956-1964: 401
1965 1863
1966 6143
1967 11153
1968 16592
1969 11616
1970 6081
1971 2357
1972 641
1973 168
1974-1998 1178
UNITED STATES VIETNAM WAR CASUALTIES BY BRANCH OF SERVICE
US ARMY 38209
USMC 14838
US NAVY 2555
USAF 2584
USCG 7
Civilian 19
*Maya Lin was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2005 as well as the National Women's Hall of Fame. In 2009, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Obama.
SOURCE
"Vietnam Veterans Memorial, District of Columbia," National Park Service, www.nps.gov/
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Washington, D.C.
Photo by John White (2003)
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Washington, D.C.
Photo by John White (2003)
