THE WALL THAT BRINGS AMERICANS TOGETHERTHE WALL THAT BRINGS AMERICANS TOGETHER
WASHINGTON, November 1997. Believe it or not, 15 years have passed since The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated. This powerful and unique memorial, now known as The Wall, has become practically a national shrine, where a nation grieves for those lost in America's longest war.
The photogenic, glistening black granite memorial has become, ,a familiar sight in movies, on book covers and on television, its image indelibly etched in the nation's collective memory.
The memorial has become a great phenomenon in American popular culture. The sacred site is a place where Americans of all opinions on the Vietnam War find common ground honoring the veterans who did what their country asked -- just as their fathers did in place like Iwo Jima, Normandy Beach, and Anzio. It is a place where a new generation -- which knows little of Vietnam - visits with quiet reverence, and asks questions about this important era in history.
AT THE WALL, something amazing began to occur as construction was ongoing. A man left a Purple Heart belonging to his brother in the concrete base behind the granite walls. In the past decade and one- half, more than 40,000 items have been left at The Wall to be collected an preserved. Where else has such an outpouring of emotion taken place?
The memorial is an unusual work of art. It does not tell
its visitors what to think. Some leave filled with patriotism. Others are
saddened by the great loss of life so far from our shores for purposes that
are still debated. Yet, everyone appreciates this very American memorial,
designed by a great Chinese-American architect -- Maya Yin Lin.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund was authorized by Congress to build The Wall. Since 1982, we have continued important programs to educate the public about the war and The Wall. We have had particular focus on young people.
Young people need to understand this era in their nation's history and to think about their responsibility to their country during time of national crisis. With help from the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Turner Network Television we are distributing thousands of books and curriculum guides to high schools.
The Wall That Heals, a half-scale likeness of the memorial, is now traveling across America. This exhibit has been from Oregon to Georgia. At each stop, there is an extraordinary volunteer effort from military veterans who want to share their experience with the young people who visit -- telling them that war is not glamorous and heroic
On Veterans Day, 1997, it is worth remembering the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and what many view as its most important legacy.
A few, years after The Wall was dedicated, a memorial was built on the Mall in Washington honoring the veterans of Korea. Yet another memorial honoring America's Women In Military Service was dedicated in October at Arlington National Cemetery. And plans are now underway to build a national memorial honoring the veterans of World War II.
As veterans of the war in Vietnam, we returned vilified for our service. That public scorn is now replaced by pride. Yet, we take our greatest pride in something else -- that others are being honored. The veterans of Korea, women veterans, and the patriots who fought in World War II finally are being remembered for their service to present and future generations.
Monuments serve a purpose -- they preserve history and make people remember. It is good to see memorials honoring those who fought for freedom.
Each American veteran's sacrifice allows today's young people to live in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. And it has helped create a world in which their risk of having to march off to war during their lifetime is significantly reduced.
by Jan Craig Scruggs
Richmond Times-Dispatch Op-Ed Essay
November 11, 1997
Jan Craig Scruggs is founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.