VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL,, A Place of Respect and Healing
Written: Nov 25 '03 (Updated Mar 19 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: a serene place where one can remember those who were lost in this tragic war.
Cons: none
The Bottom Line: The Wall is a memorial and a place of healing.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Vietnam Veterans Memorial |
I have written reviews of the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial and the soon to be dedicated National World War II Memorial. They all have special meaning to me and I have a feeling of awe whenever I visit any one of them.
I was able to share my emotions about how I felt when I visited them. I find that the feelings I have about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial are much more difficult for me to share.
As a teen I was eligible for the draft and even had the "luck" to draw a number that was sure to get me into the war. Did I support the war? Did I protest against it? Would I actually go in?
I went to Fort Hamilton in New York for draft processing. It was then that they gave me a deferment. I had a bad knee due to a football injury and they weren't taking me into the service. I never had to test my convictions.
I didn't go, but so many others did. Guys in my high school graduating class never came home. A friend with whom I would get together with every Friday night after work and go cruising in my 59 chevy convertible went in with a big party from all us guys and gals. We all cried at his funeral when he came home.
My younger brother was drafted the next year. He went in. For whatever reason, our family was spared the worst of news. He did come home as my hero.
Did that mean I was for the war? It was a troubling time. My brother was over there. Would demonstrating against a war, that didn't seem right to me, mean that I was acting against my brother and being unpatriotic?
I did protest. It wasn't a wild rally with flag burning in the streets. That I would never do. Though it may not be perfect, I love my country. I remember going with my, one day to be, wife to a local county park and participating in a candle light vigil protesting the war with thousands of others. I had very mixed feelings that night. It tore at me. Was I undermining the moral of our troops, was I helping the enemy by doing this? Did this put my brother in greater danger?
Read the other reviews of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. You will find out a little about the physical aspects of the Wall. For the most part you will read stories on how, the changing times of the 60s and 70s, personal experiences, and the Wall itself touched them. I have read many of these reviews. They are among the most powerful statements to be read anywhere here in Epinions.
AN IDEA is BORN
The Wall, as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is known, was built with private funds. It was the idea of a Vietnam vet who, after watching the movie "Deer Hunter", thought it was time for healing. He helped organize a group, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Inc.
The process for this monument itself was not without controversy. At first, not many were hearing the call for this memorial. It was felt by some that a "wrongful war" should not be memorialized. Apparently they were not thinking of the men and woman who fought for their country, right or wrong. Another problem was that there were no funds to build a memorial. Without that the government was not willing to give much attention to the request.
The money did come in. It was through donations of corporations civic groups, vet groups and 275,000 individual Americans that attention was given to the group and a piece of land about two acres in size was granted for the memorial.
THE DESIGN
There was a competition for the physical look of the monument. There was a criteria that had to be met. It involved four points of which I read from a National Parks info sheet. ...that it be reflective and contemplative in character, that it would harmonize with its surroundings, especially the neighboring national memorials, that it contain the names of all who died or remain missing, and that it make no political statement about the war. By separating the issue of those who served in Vietnam from that of US policy in the war, the group hoped to begin a process of national reconciliation.
After a process of 1,421 entries designs being judged anonymously, a young architecture student, that happened to be a woman, from Yale was unanimously chosen as the artist/designer of the memorial. This woman was Maya Lin, the daughter of Chinese emigres. This caused another controversy to some. Some felt that a woman, a young person, and a person of Asian roots was not a good choice for this memorial. Fortunately, most of America has moved along in positive ways in reference their ideas and feelings of inclusion. More work still needs to be done.
The design itself is simple yet, quite remarkable. Maya Lin went to the site for inspiration. She envisioned the memorial in likeness to the war, a wound that needed healing. She thought of the earth opening as the wound and the new grass coming in as part of the healing. As with any wound, there will always be a scar. That is what the Wall is, a scar that shows that though time may heal our wounds, there was once great pain.
The top of the Wall is level with the surrounding terrain. You actually start walking down into the opening of the earth, the scar. The walk is wheel chair accessible. The highly polished black granite has the names of all those killed and MIA. The 58,209 names are posted in order of their deaths. Maya Lin said, "The Names would be the memorial". The polished stone reflects like a mirror. You can see yourself and all the other people at the site become one with the Wall. We all become a part of it and after visiting the Wall, it becomes a part of us.
A SECOND PART of the MEMORIAL
There were still others that thought that the wall was not enough. Some wanted a more traditional memorial. Final plans were approved in March of 1982 and ground was broken the same month. Later that year in November the memorial "The Wall" was dedicated. Almost two years later a bigger than life sized sculpture was placed above and in front of the Wall. This depicts three young servicemen walking together as one into the unknown. One wonders if they expected to see their own names on the wall they are facing from a short distance.
When I look at them I see three strong, multi-racial, and innocent looking men. They are on a mission and are doing what they are told. I also see that they have hope that they may someday get beyond the killing and fear of being killed and return home with their families.
ONE LAST ADDITION to the MEMORIAL
Nine years later in 1993 one last piece of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was installed. This is the Vietnam Woman's Memorial. This second, very realistic sculpture, is that of three woman aiding a wounded soldier. One woman is looking up into the sky. When I look at her I wonder is she looking for a helicopter to take the wounded serviceman to safety and medical attention or is she praying that all this killing stops.
THE WALL, YESTERDAY and TODAY
I have been to this monument many times. Every time I go to Washington I make a stop there. The area is beautiful and I pay my respects to my friend Eugene "Butch" Skotch and all the others whose names are on that wall. I, like so many others, touch the name as if expecting to feel the warmth of a live person. I find that the memorial is as hoped for, reflective and contemplative. One day while I was in DC on my own I sat on the grounds overlooking the wall. I watched as people slowly walked down into the memorial area. I can see it touches most everyone and tears fill the eyes of so many. This has not changed over the years. It seems that just as many visit it now as years ago and so many still leave "things".
LEAVING "THINGS"
As the wall was being built it started. People would leave "things" at the wall. A vet placed his Purple Heart into the pool of concrete that would fill the foundation of the wall. Many others brought things from home. This continues today and every "thing" that is left is collected at the end of the day, cataloged by rangers, and sent to MARS. MARS is the Museum ARcheological Storage. It is in Maryland. The first two years brought 554 "things". Now there are over 50,000 items. Some of these "things" are on display in sites around the country.
SOME LAST FACTS and THOUGHTS
The memorial Wall is actually two walls joined in the middle and moving diagonally away from each other. One side points to the Washington Monument to the east and the other side points to the Lincoln Memorial in the west.
The wall is about ten feet at its highest point and nearly a football field long. There are stations not too far from each end where you can look up names and find out which panel they are on.
Rangers can be found on the grounds and there is an ink stamp for those who would like to have their National Parks Passport canceled. This is a wonderful way to collect National Parks, historic sites, and places like these memorials.
I was at the memorial again this last weekend. It is amazing how well it fits all the criteria those who planned the memorial held. It is reflective and fits into the surrounding landscape well. Every name is on the wall that reflects the living world around it. The last item that was called for was that of being a place of healing. The hurt is still there for so many but I do feel that many more are being healed by time. The healing is a good, but we do need to see the scar, once in a while, to remind us of the hurts of our past and to learn from it.
Other DC reviews by popsrocks
The Washington Monument
Lincoln MemorialWashington DC
The Korean War Veteran's Memorial
The National World War II Memorial This is a new major memorial that will be dedicated May 2004
The National Art Gallery
The National Archives This has just reopened and it's bigger and better!!
The National Air and Space Museum
Fairmont Washington Hotel
The Old Ebbit Grill Good Eats near the White House
Passport to your National Parks
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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